


Escape Velocity

by Yrien



Series: Speed of Light [2]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-04
Updated: 2014-06-16
Packaged: 2018-01-14 13:58:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 85,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1268953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yrien/pseuds/Yrien
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is the (long-delayed, sorry!) sequel to Event Horizon. It picks up almost immediately following the end of Event Horizon and follows Rian and her new crew as they learn to work together, no matter what the galaxy throws at them!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a sequel to Event Horizon - sorry for the long delay! This picks up almost immediately after the end of Event Horizon, so I would strongly suggest reading that one first.
> 
> Please let me know if you have any suggestions to improve the story and my writing, or if you notice any errors or inconsistencies. I love getting constructive criticism so I can get better!

Rian could feel the familiar thrum of the _Event Horizon_ 's engines through the soles of her boots as she paused at the door of one of the cargo holds. She was alone, and allowed herself to close her eyes for a moment to savour the steady vibration. It had only been a couple of hours since she had taken it back from Skavak after the scoundrel had stolen it from her on Ord Mantell, and she had missed her ship more than she was willing to admit. The ship was her life, her freedom, and her only family.

They were in hyperspace, bound for Corellia, and she had left her odd new crew to get settled into their quarters while she checked over the ship. Her first concern was for the cargo she had been supposed to deliver to Viidu on Ord Mantell before Skavak's theft of her ship and her subsequent imprisonment by the Republic army had derailed her plans. It had taken longer than she had expected before getting that whole mess sorted out, but she was sure that Viidu and his client would still be grateful for the crates of blasters, even if they arrived late.

She thumbed the controls for the cargo bay door and held her breath as it slid open, then let out a long sigh of disappointment when she saw the empty hold. She wasn't surprised that Skavak had dumped the blasters after he'd made off with her ship - probably for a tidy profit - but it still stung. She would have taken a penalty for late delivery, but it still would have been a nice sum. It was just as well that she'd already set course for Corellia. She had contacts there and could probably find a job or two without much trouble. She'd need the credits to pay back the portion of the delivery fee she had gotten up front, plus whatever interest Rogun decided to charge for his missing delivery. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too steep, but she wasn't sure what a man that called himself "The Butcher" would consider to be a reasonable amount. She would need to contact him to let him know about the lost shipment, and arrange for repayment, but she wanted to make sure she had some credits to her name first, just in case he demanded some of the money immediately.

She let the door slide shut and turned back down the corridor towards the bridge to send a few messages to see what her contacts might have available. The interior of the _Event Horizon_ was a double-stacked ring, with the bridge, kitchen and attached common room, medbay and the two smallest cargo holds on the top ring, along with her small suite of rooms and one set of shared crew quarters. The lower ring held the engine room, storage space, and a second set of crew quarters, along with the bulk of the cargo bays. It was a lot of ship for just one person, but it was far from empty right now.

Lomning's low, calm tones contrasted sharply with Corso's excited chatter from the main crew quarters halfway around the ring corridor from her. It sounded like her young Mantellian farm boy was getting along just fine with the big Twi'lek Jedi for the moment. She had been pretty sure that he would - Lomning was good company, and Corso was a cheerful, generally easygoing person, if a bit over-enthusiastic sometimes.

Viggota's laugh echoed up from the lower ring. Rian could barely hear Jorgan's deep rumble over the noise of the engines but she knew the Cathar was down there too. It was going to be odd, having soldiers on board. Or ex-soldiers, she supposed, after the stunt that Garza and the SIS had pulled, making them "independent contractors" or whatever term they wanted to use to pretty up the fact that they had disbanded Havoc and essentially kicked Vig and Jorgan out of the military to benefit their own careers. The mess with Tavus, the former commander of Havoc Company who had turned traitor not only hadn't been Vig and Jorgan's fault, but the two of them had worked their butts off to find him and bring him in before he could defect to the Empire. She may not have approved of Garza's methods, but she didn't deny that Vig and Jorgan were good men to have with her in a fight. It wouldn't be much of a hardship, keeping them around.

Still, she didn't run her ship with anything even remotely resembling military discipline and she knew the two soldiers wouldn't shed their old habits that quickly, even if they did decide to stick around. She was sure that her methods were likely to ruffle a few feathers - or more likely fur, given Jorgan's attitude towards her so far - but she was determined to try her best to make things work. The _Event Horizon_ felt alive again in a way it hadn't since her last crew had left. The ship would always her home, and her heart, but now it didn't feel quite so empty.

Rian shook her head, the heavy tendrils of her blue _lekku_ sliding against her shoulders, and headed briskly for the bridge before she could examine that thought too closely. There was no guarantee that this crew would stay, not any more than the others had.

*****

It was about four hours' travel through the hyperspace lanes from Coruscant to Corellia, which was plenty of time for the others to get themselves settled. Lomning and Corso had had a good-natured argument about who would get which side of the room, which Rian had solved by tossing a sabacc deck at them. "Winner gets first choice," she told them with a grin. Corso had triumphed, though Rian wasn't sure that Lomning hadn't let him win. The Jedi had proved to be an adept player when they'd been stuck in the Republic safe house on Coruscant.

She'd even found her C2 unit - he had been deactivated and stuffed in a storage closet in the lower ring - and the droid had been almost pathetically glad to see her again. He had bowed over and over again until she swore she could hear his hip joints seizing up.

"Why ain't he talking?" Corso asked curiously from where he was sprawled on one of the couches in the common room once his meagre belongings had been unpacked in the crew quarters. His dark brown dreadlocks hung loose around his shoulders. "I've met a couple of droids of that model before - usually you can't hardly get them to shut up."

Rian rolled her eyes, leaning her hip against the side of the holodisplay. "I know. I disabled his voice unit because he was driving me up the wall."

Corso frowned at that, shaking his head. "That's not right, Captain. He's got a right to be able to voice his opinions too." Rian narrowed her eyes at him but he just stuck his chin out stubbornly. "He's got a mind. It's not right to do something like that." He was on his feet before she could stop him, approaching Seetoo. His deft fingers found the dangling wires and plugged them easily back into place. "There, that's better."

"Oh my stars!" Seetoo exclaimed. "I am ever so grateful to you, young man. I cannot tell you how much of a trial it has been."

Rian groaned, pushing herself upright. "Fine, that's just fine Riggs. You're in charge of maintaining him, then."

"Thank you, Master," Seetoo said, bowing towards her again. "And may I say how _good_ it is to see you again? Now, young master Riggs, I have completed a diagnostic and I do have some minor damage to several critical systems."

"There you go. Take him downstairs and get to work, then," she said, slanting a somewhat evil grin at the young man. Corso blinked at her a couple of times but then Seetoo was bustling over to him, joints whirring madly.

"Right this way, sir," the droid said, metal feet clanking on the durasteel decking as he plucked at Corso's sleeve and half-dragged him from the room. "I can advise you on the units that need restoration and direct you in affecting the repairs. First, I should like you to take a look at my joints. I have noticed some reduced mobility." His mechanical voice trailed off as he steered a hapless Corso along the circular hallway towards the stairs leading down to the repair bay on the lower level.

Rian looked at the stunned expressions on the faces of her crew, then threw her head back and laughed.

*****

Corso seemed to have a knack for mechanics, and it hadn't taken him long to get Seetoo back up and running at peak efficiency again. Once Corso had finished his work, Rian's first order of business had been to get the droid into her cabin to help her clean up Skavak's mess of filthy clothes and unwashed plates. It had taken the rest of the trip to Corellia and three rubbish bins, but the space was finally her own again. She had found most of her personal belongings in storage in the smallest cargo hold on the lower ring - so neatly packed away that she knew Skavak must have ordered Seetoo to do it before he had deactivated the droid.

She hadn't managed to get a straight answer about that either. When asked, the droid had merely twisted his torso from side to side in his version of a headshake. "I am not sure why Master Skavak decided to do that," he had said. "I assume he did not require my services." She had eventually given up on asking, and let the droid clank away to check on the rest of the ship.

Rian was back on the bridge when the navcomputer beeped a warning before the ship decelerated out of hyperspace. The streaked stars steadied back into points, and her computer pinged the navigational satellites around the Corellian system to ensure they were on the right approach vector.

"Captain, it appears that there is an incoming transmission," Lomning said, leaning his bulk closer to the console he was seated at.

She had already seen the blinking indicator on her console and tapped the button to accept the transmission. A burst of static quickly resolved itself into a female voice. "Unidentified freighter, you have entered Corellian space. Please provide your identification."

Rian turned her head so the mic would pick up her voice clearly. "This is the _XS Event Horizon_ , inbound from Coruscant, requesting permission to land at Coronet City Spaceport for refuelling and resupply."

There was a pause while they presumably scanned her transponder and then the voice was back. "You've been cleared to land at docking bay seventeen, _Event Horizon_. I've sent you your approach trajectory and your docking contract. Welcome to Corellia, and have a pleasant stay."

"Got it," she said, watching the lights flashing on her console. "Thanks, Control." She thumbed the channel closed and flicked the flight controls to the secondary console, where Corso was seated. He was watching the whole process with interest. "Corso, you're in charge of landing. I need to review this contract to make sure they're not going to fleece us." She wasn't actually worried about that - it was the same standard contract that she'd seen every time she had landed on Corellia - but she wanted to see how Corso would handle the landing. He seemed to be a decent pilot, but she needed to get a practical demonstration of his skills so she would know what exactly he could and couldn't do.

"Me, Captain?" His voice was nearly a squeak but she didn't let herself smile, apparently absorbed with reading the information scrolling across her screens.

"I can ask someone else if you don't think you're up for it, Riggs," she said casually over her shoulder. She saw him straighten his shoulders in her peripheral vision.

"No, Captain. I can handle it," he said quickly. She did grin then, hiding it with a quick duck of her chin. He was going to make a good first mate, once he got past some of his worry about not being good enough for the job. She knew he could do stuff like this. He just needed to build up his confidence. He already knew how to handle himself in a fight, so it shouldn't be hard to transfer that poise to other aspects of this work.

She heard Lomning let out a quiet hum of amusement to her left and knew he had seen through her ruse and approved of it. She kept a careful eye on her screens as she pretended to read through the contract but Corso was doing a good job. He was perhaps a little more cautious than she would have been, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Spaceports tended to frown on damage to their docking bays, and she didn't want any new scratches on her ship when she'd just got her back.

She coded in her acceptance of the contract and transferred the payment through just as the _Event Horizon_ touched down on the pad. She could hear the groan of the landing gear through the hull as it flexed to take the weight of the ship. The hydraulics sounded like they needed some work. She pinged a note through to the spaceport's maintenance staff to ask them to check the fluid levels, along with a request for refuelling. The crews on the ground here were some of the best in the galaxy, and she trusted them to do a good job, though she would check it over herself before they launched again.

"Good job," she said, pushing out of her chair and clasping Corso's shoulder. "Lock her down. We're all going dirt-side for a supply trip." The grin Corso flashed her was bright and excited, and she left him and Lomning behind on the bridge to go find Viggota and Jorgan.

Predictably, the two soldiers were in the weapons locker on the lower ring, looking over the handful of spare guns that Rian had accumulated. Jorgan was disassembling a blaster rifle, handing the pieces to Viggota to examine. The rust-coloured Cathar looked up sharply at her approach, ears twitching, even though she'd traded her regular boots for softer-soled shoes that barely made any noise on the decking.

"We've landed," she told them, even though she knew they could hear Corso winding the engines down. The vibrations were even stronger in the lower ring, with the engine room directly aft. "We're going to head out to resupply. I'd like you guys to come along."

"Sure," Viggota said, handing the last piece of the rifle back to Jorgan so the Cathar could snap it back into place. The big Human had taken the opportunity to shave while the ship was in hyperspace, and the dark stubble that had been growing across his head and chin was gone. It made the long scar across the left side of his face show even more sharply. "Do we need to kit up?"

She shook her head. "Corellia's not a war zone," she said. "Bring a blaster if you want, but you'll really stand out if you're wearing all your gear."

Jorgan racked the gun again and straightened his shoulders as he turned to Viggota. "Sir, someone should stay behind to watch the ship."

"Not necessary," Rian said. "I know more tricks than Skavak does to secure her, and now that Seetoo's active again he's more than capable of electrifying the door if anyone tries to slice in." And she wasn't going to give away the lock codes, like she had to that rat Skavak on Ord Mantell. That would teach her for trusting the man with her ship on someone else's say-so. "Corellia's a pretty safe port. Believe me, I'm sure not going to risk losing my ship again so soon after I got her back! And besides, I'd like for you all to come and see how I do things."

"We won't be in the way?" Viggota asked.

She shrugged. "You're my crew," she told them. "We need to see how each other operate outside of a firefight. I need to know that you all know what we're doing, and I told you you'd all have a say in the jobs we take."

Viggota glanced at Jorgan again, who frowned but finally nodded. "All right, we're in. Do we need to know anything else?"

Rian leaned her shoulder against the doorframe. "We need to resupply, so make a list of anything you'd like to have on board. We'll hit the Blue Sector - the bazaar there is legendary. You can find almost anything you can think of." She paused, looking at the two soldiers carefully. "I don't know how all of you guys are sorted for credits. I've got a bit put aside but I was counting on the pay from the Ord Mantell job so we'll probably have to do a bit of haggling to get everything we want. Fuel, food, and medical supplies are top priority. After that, I'll make contact with some friends to see if I can get us some jobs so I can start paying you guys."

Viggota nodded thoughtfully. "We'll follow your lead. We're not going to attract any unwanted attention, are we?"

"Probably, but we'll hardly be the strangest thing in the sector, so we'll be fine." She flashed him a smile. "Trust me."

*****

Coronet City wasn't quite as overwhelming as Coruscant's world-spanning metropolis, but only by virtue of the fact that it didn't actually cover the entire planet. It was still plenty big enough to make Corso's eyes pop out as he craned his head back to look up at the skyscrapers towering above them and Rian had to grab his shoulder to keep him from stepping off the edge of the curb into traffic. It was a bustling, busy city, with one of the best spaceports Rian had ever had the pleasure of using, and was surprisingly clean for its size. CorSec - the Corellian Security Forces - patrolled the city constantly, and very few people were willing to try anything like littering or petty vandalism under their watchful eyes.

Rian watched a grey-uniformed patrol size them up as they strode past. She nodded politely and kept walking. Unless they were specifically looking for you, CorSec wouldn't usually stop you unless you looked truly suspicious.

"Keep up, Farm Boy!" she hollered back at Corso, who had paused again to gawk up at the skyscrapers that towered above them. It was mid-afternoon, the sun reflecting brilliantly off the transparisteel windows. Only a few high, sparse contrails marred the clear blue of the sky overhead. The temperature was comfortable at the tail end of Coronet City's summer and Rian was starting to regret wearing her armoured jacket, despite leaving it open at the front.

Corso hurried to catch up to them, shaking his head. His dreads hung loose around his shoulders and he was dressed casually in denym pants and a short-sleeved grey shirt. "I thought Coruscant was something else, and then I find out that there's other places just like it," he said. "How can people stand to live like that?" He waved a hand at the towering buildings and arching walkways high above them. "Don't they want to stand on solid ground from time to time?"

"I know you're from the middle of nowhere, but you must have seen civilization at some point," Rian teased gently, tucking her arm through his to make sure he didn't trip over anything. He was still completely distracted, head whipping around every time something new caught his eye. Beyond him, Lomning was smiling softly, the Twi'lek looking around as if he could see the city through Corso's eyes. "I know you've been off Ord Mantell. Where did you do your military training?"

"Carida," he said distractedly, craning his neck to get a better look at one of the maglev trains as it streaked by overhead.

Jorgan made a surprised noise and she glanced over at him. "Carida's a good facility. High-gravity world, though, so not exactly heavily settled. The Academy is big, but nothing like this." He waved a hand at the bustle around them. The two soldiers were wearing civilian clothes, though they still moved with the precise bearing of military men.

Rian tugged Corso around a pair of green-skinned Rodians that had stopped to argue in the middle of the sidewalk. The sidewalks were crowded with people and the roads choked with vehicles. They were mostly small, single-person transports but there were also delivery vehicles and public buses vying for space on the wide boulevards. The air was thick with the noise and smell of a bustling city and busy spaceport.

"Are we walking all the way to the market?" Viggota asked, dodging a sharply-dressed Human woman who was snapping commands into an earpiece communicator. Rian felt bad for whoever was on the other end of the call.

"There's a hovertrain stop just a couple of streets over. We'll have to transfer, but it'll get us close." She ducked under a low awning in front of a shop selling actual hard-copy books, pulling Corso along with her. His eyes widened at the display in the window and she had to tug on his arm to get him walking again. "Everyone keep up. I don't want to spend half the day searching for you if you get lost." She flashed a grin over her shoulder and Lomning laughed.

"Not all of us are as overwhelmed as Corso, Captain," he said in gentle admonishment.

"I know; I was teasing." She slowed down to let the Jedi catch up. She noticed that he was flowing through the crowd like water and wondered if it was natural grace or Jedi training that let him move like that. "Where are you from, if you don't mind me asking?"

"One of the Outer Rim colonies," he said with a quirk of his lip. "And then to Tython for my training. But I have seen cities before."

"I've never really known a Jedi," she said, taking the next right. She could see the hovertrain stop a few blocks ahead of them. "I don't know much about you guys other than scuttlebutt and what you see on adventure holos, so I assume I have a really skewed view of what you're capable of."

Lomning laughed. "Most likely. Despite what you see in the holovids, we are not all wise old men who speak in cryptic riddles, or serene warriors who can defeat entire armies single-handedly."

"Not all?" Rian said with a grin. "So that means that those stereotypes are sometimes true?"

The big Twi'lek chuckled, tilting his head back to watch as a maglev train went by overhead. He still managed to step neatly around the tall, horned Chagrian businessman that cut suddenly across his path without even looking. "All stereotypes have some grounding in truth," he admitted. "The wise, old Jedi master is one such trope, and I have met a number of them myself. The unstoppable warrior is another, though they are so rare as to be nearly legend. Even the wisest master is not sure if those old tales are truth or fiction, but they make for exciting cinema."

"I've met a few Knights in my career," Jorgan spoke up unexpectedly. "Good warriors, good men and women all."

"Where did you meet them?" Lomning asked, dropping back to where the Cathar strode along in their wake, sharp yellow-green eyes never still as he scanned the streets around them.

"Mostly when I was on Coruscant for officer training," he replied. "Seen a couple on Ord Mantell too. That's where I saw them fight." He shook his head in amazement. "Never seen anything like it. I can believe those stories of the unstoppable warrior, after seeing that."

Lomning chuckled and tucked his hands into his sleeves. "The duelling instructor or Tython is another such fighter," he said. "The poor man despaired of me, said he had never had such an unteachable student."

"You?" Corso asked in surprise, the conversation finally drawing his attention away from the bustle of the city. "But I've seen you fight."

"I am not much of a warrior, compared to some of my brethren," the Jedi replied. "My talents lie in other areas. I am a healer, and a diplomat. But Jedi who cannot defend themselves from enemies do not graduate from the Academy. Or at least they do not leave. They work in the Archives, mostly, and remain on Tython," he added, seeing the question on Corso's face.

"What about all those other things you do, though?" the young man pressed, waving his hands around in demonstration. "Throwing stuff around with the Force, knocking people around."

"Most Jedi have at least some talent in that area," the big Twi'lek replied, following Rian as she crossed the street towards the station. "I am better at that than at direct lightsaber combat."

Viggota nodded, clearly filing the information away for future reference. Rian flashed her credstick at the reader, tapping out day passes for all of them. "What about you, Corso?" Viggota asked as she passed the chips around. "What's your strong suit in a fight?"

"My blaster," the kid replied. "And I can brawl, if it's pretty even. I'm no good at long odds."

"Sharpshooter," Rian said when Viggota's eyes slid over to her. "A bit sneaky. And I fight dirty hand-to-hand." She grinned at the soldier and he laughed.

"I'll remember that. And Jorgan, I've read your service record. We'll have to see if we can't find you a sniper rifle somewhere."

"I'd appreciate that," the Cathar rumbled. "I had to turn my service weapon in after I left the Deadeyes, but since we're..." His face twisted a little but he continued in the same level tone. "No longer bound by regulations, I certainly wouldn't object to having one close to hand."

Rian shrugged when Viggota turned his attention to her. "Necessities first. I'll keep an eye out, but it might not fit into our budget today." She didn't have one on the ship - she'd never had a sniper on her crew. She was a good shot, but she liked the maneuverability she got with her blasters better than setting up with a bulky rifle.

The big soldier nodded and followed Rian as she boarded the hovertrain that pulled up next to them. The doors hissed shut behind them and Rian pushed through the half-full car to one of the windows. It had been a while since she had been here, and she wanted to make sure she didn't miss her stop.


	2. Chapter 2

The Blue Sector was one of the roughest ones in Coronet City, but the Treasure Ship Row bazaar at its heart was famous across the galaxy and was one of the most-visited areas of Corellia. It sprawled out past the gates in a barely-controlled chaos of open-air booths, stalls, and tents, crowded with dozens of species haggling in a hundred different languages. Coruscant had nothing like this. Even the biggest markets in the Undercity had inherited some of the decorum that permeated the seat of the Republic government.

Rian snagged Corso's arm again and ducked into the fray. Foot traffic was the norm here, but a few of the larger vendors had permits for vehicles to deliver their wares. Even still, the flow of traffic was chaotic and unpredictable at the best of times.

She heard Jorgan sneeze behind her and hid a grin. The mingled smells of food from cantinas and street carts warred with the scent of spices and perfumes from a dozen different worlds and the less pleasant odours of live cargos. The smell was strong enough to her Twi'lek nose, and she couldn't imagine what it would be like to the Cathar's more sensitive one.

Her first priority was food, so she took a sharp left around a pair of Ithorian monks chanting in their strange double voices, then ducked past a loud argument between a Mon Calamari woman whose handcart's hover system had failed and was blocking the entrance to a shop selling cheap tourist trinkets and the Rodian merchant whose shop was affected. Corso stumbled along in her wake, head on a swivel as he tried to take in everything at once. Viggota clapped a hand firmly on the kid's shoulder to help keep him headed in the right direction.

"I'll mostly be getting supplies for the food synthesizers," Rian said over her shoulder. "We can get some fresh stuff too, but mostly we need things that'll keep. Any of you have any special requirements for food that I need to know about?"

Viggota shook his head and glanced at Jorgan when the Cathar stayed silent. He arched an eyebrow at his sergeant, who shrugged. "It's not important."

"What is it?" Lomning asked curiously. "If you require something, you should speak up."

"It's no trouble," Rian said. "It's important that everyone stays healthy." The Cathar shifted uncomfortably, chewing on his lip with sharp teeth and Rian grinned. "Let me guess... Carnivore?"

"Omnivore," Jorgan corrected with a sigh. "But yes, I need a fair amount of meat in my diet."

"I'm a fan of meat too," she told him with a shrug. "Laying on a bit more's no trouble at all." She looked curiously at Lomning. "And what about you? Are Jedi vegetarians or something?"

He laughed, the sound contagious enough that she found herself grinning back. "Many are, but I have never followed that path."

"Good to know." She tugged Corso into motion again, spotting her destination further down the narrow, curving pathway. "Makes it easier, only having to prepare one meal."

Merrik's was one of the few proper buildings in the sector, a sprawling, unmarked warehouse that formed one of the borders of Treasure Ship Row. Unlike its neighbours, it didn't advertise its purpose with splashy signs, because it didn't need to. It was _the_ place to go for bulk food stores for ships, and most of its business was through repeat customers and word of mouth.

Rian pushed through the small door beside the loading bay and into the cool, dimly-lit interior. Most of the space was taken up by neat stacks of crates that went nearly to the ceiling in places. Handcarts and forklifts showed as dark bulks spaced neatly along the aisles and she could faintly hear the whirr of droids moving about as they fulfilled orders.

To the right of the door was a small enclosed office. She was surprised that there was no one else waiting in the chairs outside as she rapped briskly on the half-open door and heard the sound of a movement from within. Merrik's wasn't hurting for business, and it was rare to be able to get in without at least a short wait. The door opened fully a moment later, framing a burly, green-skinned Twi'lek man who was missing the bottom third of his left _lek_. She didn't want to imagine how that would have felt and suppressed her horrified shudder with the ease of long practice when she took his proffered hand. "Nice to see you again, Merrik."

"You too, Captain." His Basic was heavily accented, and he switched back to Huttese as he waved her into his office. " _A real pleasure. Come in, please, and your friends._ "

Rian introduced everyone quickly, pleased to see that even Jorgan shook hands without hesitation. Maybe she would be able to get him to loosen up somewhat. Lomning's gaze lingered on the metal cap at the end of Merrik's _lek_ before shifting up to the merchant's eyes and staying firmly there. A Twi'lek losing part of their _lek_ wasn't at all like losing an arm or a leg, but Rian and Lomning were probably the only two on her crew that truly understood that.

There were only two chairs in front of the desk, and Rian bit the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning as all the men tried to defer to each other at the same time. She gave Corso a nudge towards the other chair as she sat down opposite Merrik.

" _How can I help you today, Captain?_ " She could see Corso listening intently out of the corner of her eye, and realized she didn't know how good his command of alien languages was. She had learned early that knowledge was power - it paid to know what people were saying about you when they didn't think you understood - and she was fluent in at least a dozen different languages, from the common to the random and obscure. She'd have to ask her new crew what languages they spoke, or at least had a basic understanding of. It was never a bad thing to be able to communicate in relative secret.

" _Supplies,_ " she replied in Huttese. " _I need two months' worth for the food synthesizers, to feed a crew of five, if I can afford it._ "

Merrik looked at her curiously. " _Where are you going, that you need so much?_ "

She grinned and spread her hands. " _Wherever the job takes me!_ " Two months' worth was a lot, and she definitely wasn't planning to spend the next two months in deep space, but she'd been caught short before and it wasn't any fun. She had checked the stores before she had left the ship, and things were pretty bare. She had been about due to resupply when Skavak had stolen her ship, and she didn't want to launch again without knowing that they would be well-supplied in the event of an emergency.

He laughed with her and tapped his fingers on his desk. " _You've been a good customer to me. I think we can come to an arrangement._ "

Haggling with Merrik never took long. He was too experienced to waste time, and he was honest enough to have stayed in business as long as he had. Rian winced internally at the final cost, but it was within the budget she had set. She just wasn't used to shopping for five. " _A pleasure, Merrik,_ " she said, shaking hands with the green-skinned Twi'lek once the deal was complete. She checked her wrist computer to make sure the credit transfer had gone smoothly, then stood.

"I hope you will come back soon," Merrik said in his halting Basic, and she smiled.

"Hopefully not for at least a couple of months! Thank you for your time."

" _Thank you for your business,_ " he replied, and showed them out.

"So I kind of forgot to ask how everyone's xenolinguistics skills are," she said once they were back on the street. She shrugged sheepishly. "I didn't even think of it. I guess I've been too used to dealing with stuff like this on my own."

"No worries, Captain," Corso said, stepping out of the way of a Human woman laden down with shopping. "I didn't think of it either. There's not exactly a lot of linguistic diversity on Ord Mantell. But I've got Galactic Basic, of course, Mantellian, and a bit of Huttese. I followed most of that in there, until you started haggling. I'm not good with the numbers."

"And probably the curse words in a couple of other languages?" she teased. "I know you've spent enough time with soldiers."

He laughed and a slight blush spread across his tan skin. "Not confirming or denying, Captain."

Lomning was grinning when she glanced at him. "And you, Jedi?"

He hummed thoughtfully. "Galactic Basic and Twi'leki, basic proficiency in Huttese, and some Togruti. A smattering of random phrases in other languages, but no real skill with them."

"I understood about half of what you said in there," Viggota said from behind Lomning. "I'm not real good with languages, but we had to take some courses in officer training."

"And you?" Rian asked, turning to Jorgan.

"Basic and Catharese, halfway decent Huttese, and I learned some Sullustese from one of the Deadeyes, but I haven't used it much."

She grinned delightedly and rattled off a couple of quick phrases. The Cathar blinked at her, then hesitantly responded. "Your accent is pretty good," she said with an approving nod. "I can get you up to speed, if you'd like." She glanced around her small group. "That goes for any of you. Let me know if there's a language you'd like to learn, and I can probably help."

"How many do you speak?" Corso asked curiously. He had followed the brief exchange in Sullustese with great interest.

Rian shrugged one shoulder. "A dozen and change fluently. Stock phrases in another ten or so. Enough to request docking clearance and get resupplied, maybe enough to haggle for a job and order food. I understand a few more, like Shyriiwook and Binary, but can't speak 'em."

Corso blinked at her in surprise and a quick glance around the others showed similar reactions. "How'd you learn so many?" the young man asked.

Rian certainly wasn't going to mention her slave days, when her owners forced languages on her and the other girls. Many clients were willing to pay more for a slave who could speak to them - or at least understand the orders they were being given. Rian had always had an aptitude for languages, and continued her education on her own terms once she was free. "The more languages a spacer speaks, the more ports she has access to. There's lots of people out there that'll deal with you, but only in their own language. I hate closing doors like that."

Lomning was nodding thoughtfully. "I am always interested in learning. And languages are fascinating. Nearly like living creatures in their complexity and changeability."

She grinned at Lomning, glad he wasn't looking at her like a freak for it. "I can probably help you out!" She glanced around to get her bearings, ignoring the shocked looks the Corso, Viggota, and Jorgan were giving her. She was used to it. Even among spacers, her aptitude was extraordinary. "We should get moving. We still have a lot of supplies to get, and I don't want to have to pay for another day in dock if I don't have to."

*****

The rest of the shopping trip went smoothly enough. She let Lomning handle the purchase of the medical supplies, since her knowledge on the subject was mostly limited to kolto packs and the judicious application - internally or externally - of Corellian whiskey. She leaned against the counter watching him as he haggled. She didn't think he was using any mind trickery, but the merchants seemed more than willing to give him a good deal without any of their usual scams. Maybe they didn't want to try to swindle a Jedi, lest the word spread. Most law enforcement and honest citizens - at least on the Core worlds - frowned at cheating the Jedi Order.

Corso's favourite part of the day was shopping for the fresh food. Many of the merchants encouraged sampling, knowing that a taste was a better advertisement than any amount of flashing neon. The young man was willing to try anything, no matter how strange, and seemed to have a cast-iron stomach. She let him pick out some of the produce to send back to the ship, making sure to send two entire crates of frozen cuts of meat as well. She caught Viggota's approving nod at that, though Jorgan didn't seem to have noticed.

Back out on the street after their last stop, Rian leaned against one of the sun-warmed walls bordering the Blue Sector. The flaky pastry in her hands was warm enough that she had to suck in air around her mouthful, laughing when she saw the others doing the same. The meat and vegetable mix was delicately spiced with something she thought might have been Togruti, but the decidedly-Human shop owner had called it his "secret blend".

"Are we nearly done out here?" Jorgan asked, blowing across his pastry to cool it.

"Bored, Jorgan?" Viggota asked, scrubbing a napkin across his chin before the grease could drip onto his shirt.

"I don't like leaving the ship undefended, sir," the Cathar said, though the effect of his ferocious scowl was slightly lessened when he lifted his pastry for another bite.

"Coronet City Spaceport is pretty safe," Rian said. "I'm trusting my ship to them, after all. After I just got her back, I might add!" She popped the last bite of her lunch into her mouth and licked her fingers clean. "But yes, we're almost finished. We just need to, you know, actually pick up a job or two, to make up for all the credits we spent today!"

Corso frowned at her, absently wiping his hands on his napkin. "Did we overdo it?"

She smiled and shook her head. "Nah, I'm teasing you. But we do need a job, or I can't pay you. And I'm not paying docking fees here forever. I'd like to be off planet by nightfall, or tomorrow morning at the latest."

"So then where are we going?" Lomning asked. He didn't have so much as a crumb on his robes, and Rian glanced down surreptitiously at the front of her shirt and brushed a hand quickly across it. Those pastries were impossible to eat without making a mess, but trust a Jedi to manage it.

"I sent a couple of messages to some of my regular customers. I've got a potential job lined up with a delivery of luxury fabric to Denon and then I should be able to pick up something else there. They do computer chips, mostly, and there's a million places that'll buy those. It should be a good first run for you guys."

"Luxury fabric?" Jorgan asked, voice dripping with scorn.

She shrugged, pinning him with a glare. "It'll sell. That means we get credits, and a successful job under our belts. You got a problem with it? Come up with your own jobs."

"And what are we supposed to do while you're running pretty dresses around the galaxy?" She could see the fur on his neck starting to rise. She'd been afraid that this would happen. The transition from a soldier, protecting the Republic with every breath, to a glorified delivery boy wasn't going to be easy.

"You can help lift things," she said flippantly, then shoved him hard back against the wall when he curled his lip in a sneer. He was surprised enough to let her do it. "This is one job, Jorgan. One. Not every job will be the same. But I figured an easy one was the best to start out with. We've never worked together as a crew. We'll do some easy deliveries, get each others' measure, and then start branching out. I know it's not exactly what you and Vig are used to, but it's what you're going to get, at least for the first few runs. I'll look into bodyguarding and escorting once I know that we all know what to expect from each other. I'm not putting you guys and the job in jeopardy because we're not familiar with each other's styles and preferences yet." He jerked away from her, but looked less annoyed, and Viggota gave her a quick nod of approval. "Now come on. And Corso, you've got food on your shirt."

She strode off, tamping down on the urge to laugh as the young man swiped hastily at his shirt with a yelp of dismay. She still wasn't sure if she was taking the right track with Jorgan. Sure, she'd argued with her crews before, but she'd never had anyone on her ship that was as uptight as the Cathar. He took himself and his duty very seriously. Not that she was saying she took her jobs lightly, but she was willing to go with the flow and improvise, and she wasn't sure Jorgan even knew the meaning of the word. She resolved to sit down with Viggota, and possibly Lomning too, to get their opinions sometime.

Brekka's textile shop was a modest size, set in the heart of the bazaar. Brilliant examples of her wares were draped over the temporary walls and made the shop stand out from its neighbours. The blue and green cloth across the doorway was pulled aside and Rian ducked underneath it, blinking to let her eyes adjust to the dimmer interior.

Inside, the single open room was a riot of colour and texture. Bolts of cloth were stacked on every flat surface, and the taller rolls were propped up in every corner. Narrow aisles wove between tables of various sizes, giving the whole place a crowded, haphazard air, but Rian knew from experience that Brekka knew exactly where everything was.

A young man approached and bowed politely. "Good afternoon. May I help you?" He was very young, and trying unsuccessfully to grow a pale, wispy beard that didn't quite match the darker blond of his hair.

Rian cocked her head to the side and studied him for a moment. "Son or nephew?"

He blinked in confusion, then a slow grin spread across his face. "It's the nose, isn't it?" He rubbed at the bridge of his, which was as sharp and hawk-like as Brekka's. "Nephew. You must be Rian. I'm Illen."

She smiled, holding out a hand for him to clasp. "I've known your aunt a long time, but I've never seen anyone else with a nose quite like hers. It's a pleasure to meet you, Illen. This is my crew. Corso, Lomning, Viggota, Aric." She nodded to each of them in turn as Illen's eyes followed.

"Come on in," he said, waving them deeper into the store. "Aunt Brekka's in the back, doing inventory. Have you eaten? I can bring you a tray."

"Something to drink would be great," Rian said, pulling aside one of the dozen intricately woven tapestries that covered the entire back wall. Illen looked vaguely surprised that she knew the location of the door that was hidden behind the artfully draped fabric, but this wasn't the first time she had been here. She pushed the door open and waved for her crew to follow.

The back room was a stark contrast to the colourful chaos of the main part of the store. Shipping crates were neatly stacked on shelves along the walls, and a huge table dominated the centre of the floor. It was currently piled with rectangular bolts of fabric, mostly in shades of green. An empty crate sat on the floor beside the table, and a datapad was perched precariously on a corner of the table. A brilliant yellow curtain hung in a doorway to Rian's left, and she knocked firmly on the wall beside it.

"Illen, is that you? I've told you, you work here. You don't need to knock." The curtain was flung aside, and Rian grinned down at Brekka. "Or I suppose it could be a no-good starship captain who doesn't actually work here. In which case, she _does_ need to knock." Brekka laughed, the lines in her tanned face creasing into a smile. "It's good to see you again, Rian!"

Brekka Jevere was a stout, middle-aged Human woman with greying hair, a distinctive hawk-like nose, and work-hardened hands. Rian had liked her the first time she'd met her, before she had even been the captain of the _Event Horizon_. The woman had a no-nonsense air about her and had been a good client for years. She had been pleased to see how quickly Brekka had responded to her message and had immediately set up a meeting.

"You too, Brekka. I can't believe you're letting someone else run the place! And just a puppy, at that!" She clasped Brekka's hand firmly, letting the woman pull her into the office.

"My sister's youngest," the woman confided. "The only one interested in doing more than getting paid to carry heavy things for me. He's a good kid, but _stars_ , he's young! I suppose things do change, though," she said, with a pointed glance at the men behind Rian.

"My new crew," she said, turning to wave them in after her. Brekka's office was a decent size, but it felt small with everyone crowded in. She was very glad she had told them to leave their armour with the ship. A small desk with a computer terminal was tucked into one corner, and a round table surrounded by chairs took up most of the rest of the floor space. The walls were draped with more fabric, a pale purple with silver threads shot through it. "Corso Riggs, Lomning, Viggota Din-amarth, Aric Jorgan. This is Brekka."

Brekka sized up the four men and arched an eyebrow at Rian. "Your crew? Or your harem?"

Rian blinked at her and then burst into laugher. She turned to see Corso blushing furiously and Jorgan scowling at the implication. Lomning had ducked his head to hide his grin but Viggota was going along with it, lifting his chin a little and visibly preening, which only made her laugh harder. She had to clutch at the back of one of the chairs to stay upright. "The looks on your faces!" she managed to gasp in between giggles. It only made Corso blush harder. The poor kid looked like he wanted the floor to open up and swallow him whole.

Just then, Illen ducked through the curtain with a tray of drinks. His face was determinedly blank, like he knew he was better off not knowing. He set the tray down firmly on the table and gave his aunt a long-suffering look. It was Ithorian tea, by the smell of it. Brekka had always drunk it, as long as Rian had done business with her. It wasn't one of Rian's favourites, but she definitely associated the smell of it with doing business with Brekka after all these years. The bustle of pouring and serving was enough to change the tone of the meeting and by the time Illen had left, Brekka was all business.

"I assume you're in as much of a hurry to get back off-planet as you always are, so I'll get right to it," the older woman said, shaking her head. "I've never understood why you hate gravity so much."

Rian laughed, rolling her cup between her hands, the pale grey porcelain warm and fragile against her palms. "It's not gravity. I just... like the stars. I don't like getting stuck in one place."

"You and I are very different, that way," Brekka replied with a shake of her head, though she softened it with a smile. "Still, I guess it works out for me - you get the stars, and I get to stay home."

"What's the job, then?" Rian asked, setting her cup aside. She didn't mind Ithorian tea, if it was sweet enough, but she'd rather work than drink. Corso was focused firmly on his cup, the remnants of a blush still lingering on his cheeks. Lomning looked to be enjoying his serving but Viggota and Jorgan had barely tasted theirs before putting their cups down. Jorgan still wore a ferocious scowl, but it was practically his default expression and Rian wasn't too concerned.

"Three dozen crates, to Haven's workshop on Denon," Brekka said, leaning back in her chair to grab a datapad out of one of the desk drawers. "Half payment up front, the rest on delivery."

That was fairly standard. Rian had done a few jobs with full payment on delivery but she hated doing it. She'd been lucky enough to not get burned too badly on jobs like that, but she knew some spacers that had lost their ships when the promised payment never materialized. The amount that Brekka quoted her was fair, but then the woman had always been honest in their dealings. Rian hated trying to do business with people that wanted to underpay her. She tended to refuse those jobs, if she had other options. She hoped those merchants had fun dealing with the kind of people that would work for the pittance they were offering. As often as not the crew would take the money, and disappear with the goods. They could make better money selling the cargo themselves and losing out on the other half of the delivery payment.

She read carefully through the contract that Brekka handed her. She didn't think the woman would try to cheat her, but you didn't make it far in this business if you didn't pay attention. She passed the datapad to Corso when she was done, quirking an eyebrow at his startled expression. "Have a look at it. You all should, actually. You'll need to get used to this sort of stuff sooner or later." She shared a grin and a headshake with Brekka. "Newbies, right?"

The older woman laughed, but looked thoughtful. It was unusual for an established captain to turn up with an entirely green crew. Usually there would be at least someone that knew the ropes. "How did you end up with this bunch? Do they have any skills aside from looking pretty?" Brekka asked, pouring herself another cup of tea.

Rian laughed. "Yes, they do. Some military training, and Lomning's a Jedi. I ran into them on Coruscant, doing a job. They helped me out of a tight spot and I was able to give them a hand with what they were doing, but things didn't quite work out as expected and they needed to get off-planet in a hurry." She shrugged at Brekka's sceptical look. "We'd done okay together there, so we thought we'd try it longer-term. They may be new to this, but they're good men to have your back." Her sharp hearing caught a soft huff of amusement that she thought was from Lomning, but she didn't turn to look.

Brekka looked over at him. "A Jedi? What are you doing running around with this group, then?"

Lomning set his empty cup down and laced his fingers together. "As the captain said, we worked well together. It seemed like a waste to break up a good partnership. The Council does not dictate every aspect of a Jedi's life. We are sometimes able to choose our own path. Though of course if they were to call for me, I would go."

Brekka looked like she wanted to ask more, but dragged her attention back to Rian with some reluctance. It wasn't every day that a simple shopkeeper got to speak with a Jedi, after all. "What were you doing on Coruscant? I thought you hated the place." She sounded curious, but not suspicious.

"I do. But I go where the jobs take me," Rian replied with an easy shrug. Corso slid the datapad back over in front of her and Rian pressed her thumb against the scanner to signal her acceptance. "This works for me. A pleasure, as always."

"Taking off so soon?" Brekka asked, adding her own print to the contract and tapping a few buttons to send Rian a copy.

"I don't want to have to pay docking fees for another day if I don't have to. I'm in bay seventeen. When do you think you'll be able to deliver the crates?"

"I'll call in the rest of the boys. They'll complain, but not a one of them will turn down overtime pay. Say... two hours?"

Rian nodded and pushed herself to her feet. "You have my holo frequency if you need it. It was good to see you again, Brekka."

"You too, Rian, and clear skies to you. Message me the next time you're inbound. I can always find more work for you." Rian grinned and clasped hands with Brekka, then herded her crew back out to the street. Illen waved to them as they passed.

"Is that how it normally goes?" Corso asked, falling into step beside Rian. "Tea and haggling?"

Rian laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. "Sometimes. I've dealt with Brekka for years, and we know each other pretty well by now, so we didn't need to argue too much. Neither of us is trying to cheat the other. But it pays to pay attention. You never know when someone you thought you knew will try to put one over on you. It's still a business, and there's always more crews looking for work if you can't get a deal done."

"And..." He hesitated a moment, a blush creeping up his neck again. "Is everyone going to think you're sleeping with all of us?"

She grinned, hearing Viggota laugh from behind her. "You're all too good-looking, apparently. Maybe next time you should wear helmets." She tugged playfully on one of Corso's dreadlocks. "I really wasn't expecting Brekka to say that, so... I'm sorry if it bothered anyone.   You have to admit that it was pretty funny, though." She tossed a glance over her shoulder. Viggota and Lomning were openly grinning and even Jorgan's face had eased up from its perpetual scowl a bit.

"I guess it was," Corso admitted, even though he was still blushing a bit. "But folks shouldn't think they can talk like that about you."

"It's just talk, Riggs. Well, in this case, it was just a joke. I've learned you can't spend too much time caring what other people say about you in this business. You've got to develop a bit of a thick skin. Not every conversation we'll have with potential clients is going to be as pleasant as 'tea and haggling'." She waited until he looked over at her and met his eyes seriously. "And I know you're a gentleman and think women should be treated a certain way, but there's going to be times when you'll have to hold your tongue, no matter what people say to me, or about me. If you go starting fights any time anyone calls me something you don't like, that'll reflect on me and my ship. Understand?"

Corso's brow furrowed, but he took the time to think before blurting out the first thought that he had. Rian waited patiently, feeling three more sets of eyes on her as she steered her crew back towards the hovertrain stop. "I guess I understand. I may not agree with it, but I understand. You don't want folks thinking you need your crew to fight your battles for you, right?"

"That's part of it. I'm the captain, so I have to be the voice of authority, and I have to have control over my crew." She waved a hand dismissively. "I'm not saying that that's the way it really is, but I have to give the impression that if I say jump, you're all in the air before you even ask how high. If people start thinking there's any cracks in the armour, there's some that'll try to figure out a way to break us."

Jorgan made a thoughtful noise behind her, but didn't say anything when she glanced back at him. Viggota was nodding in agreement, and Lomning looked pleased.

"And on that same note, if anyone ever comes to you and tries to get you to deal behind my back, or offers you anything to get me out of the way, I'd hope you would tell me. By all means, pretend to take the deal, or tell them you need to think about it or whatever it takes to get you away from them safely, but talk to me after. I'd like to think I can come up with a better offer."

"You think we'd betray you?" Corso yelped, insulted.

Rian patted his arm soothingly. "I'm just saying... Brekka's above-board, but there's other people who aren't. And if you guys want jobs that are more interesting - not to mention better-paying - than ferrying 'pretty dresses' around the galaxy, we may end up dealing with some less-than-savoury types. I'm not saying I don't trust you guys, but I know the kind of people that are out there."

"And by the same token, Captain, I would hope you would tell us if you are ever put into a situation you don't like." Lomning's gaze was serious enough that Rian didn't feel right just making a flippant comment like she usually would.

"I will, if I can. And I'm not saying that I can take care of myself and don't need help, but... you have to remember that I've been doing this alone for a long time and I'm still here. So I might read a situation differently than you would. I trust my instincts. They don't usually steer me wrong."

Lomning nodded, the movement echoed by Viggota. Corso looked like he wanted to object and Jorgan looked thoughtful, but none of them seemed to have anything else to add before the noisy arrival of the hovertrain effectively ended the conversation.


	3. Chapter 3

"Are you sure you want to do it?" Rian leaned over towards Corso, eyeing the young man carefully. He looked determined, eyes focused, hands steady.

He looked up at her and nodded seriously. "I think I can handle it, Captain."

"If you're sure." She leaned back and stretched her arms back over her head, feeling a pleasant ache in her muscles as she watched Corso stand and wind his way through the crowd towards the bar. She kept a careful eye on him as he fumbled his way through the order, grinning at the look of confusion on the face of the pretty bartender. Rian had carefully coached Corso through a few sentences of Togruti, with Lomning's help, but his accent had been atrocious at the start and hadn't gotten any better. Still, he was soldiering on with great determination, and the bartender finally smiled and nodded in understanding.

The delivery to Denon may have been a milk run but it had gone off without a hitch, and Rian had summarily rounded up her crew and dragged them to the nearest bar. "First job together, and it went perfectly," she said, throwing an arm around Jorgan's shoulders and dragging him off-balance and down the _Event Horizon_ 's ramp before he could brace himself. "That calls for a celebration."

Viggota had thrown his weight in when Jorgan had balked at the foot of the ramp. "Come on, Aric. Loosen up a bit. The ship is secure, and we're off the clock. I know you know how to drink, so let's see if you know how to have a good time too." Between his muscles and Rian's determination, they had finally managed to get the recalcitrant Cathar moving.

The bartender was done preparing their order and was draped halfway over the bar with her lips close to Corso's ear to be heard over the pounding beat of the music. Rian's foot was tapping under the table, and she was itching to get up to dance. She had seen Viggota and even Lomning eyeing the dance floor, so she figured she wouldn't be lacking for partners, but she wanted to get a round of drinks in first. A droid server scooped up the tray from the bartender and let Corso lead the way back to their table. It was hard to tell in the dim lighting, but Rian thought the young man may have been blushing.

"Did you get her holo frequency?" she teased when Corso sat back down.

He blushed harder. "A gentleman never kisses and tells," he said primly.

"There was a kiss?" Rian asked, pretending to crane her neck back towards the bar. "Blast, I missed it!" She laughed when Corso took a half-hearted swipe at her, though he was grinning back. "Good job with the order. We'll make a linguist out of you yet."

"It was kinda fun. It felt good when it clicked and she realized what I was saying, you know?" Corso leaned back out of the way to let the droid distribute the drinks. Rian's was a deep, rich purple and was fizzing slightly. Corso, Viggota, and Jorgan all had local beers, and Rian had been somewhat surprised when Lomning had ordered a bright fuchsia drink that came with a multicoloured umbrella and a skewer of exotic fruit.

"I didn't know Jedi were allowed to drink," she had said, propping her chin on her hand and looking across the table at him.

"It is frowned upon, but not prohibited. I do enjoy the occasional drink, but do not generally overindulge." He had shrugged, one of those strange fluid movements that she was starting to associate with Jedi.

She leaned back in her chair and watched him take a sip of his drink, eyes half-closed in enjoyment. Lomning seemed to always get the maximum pleasure out of everything, like he was completely focused on that particular moment. It seemed to work for him, and Rian wondered if it was something to try. Enjoy the little things; live in the moment.

Viggota and Jorgan were talking quietly beside her. The music kept her from hearing most of their conversation, but they seemed to be rehashing the job. They had been impressed with how quickly Brekka's three delivery boys - men, really, looking like they had all inherited the family nose - had managed to get the cargo stowed. Rian had watched them like a hawk, barking directions when she had seen a crate that was precariously perched, and another that was half blocking access to the catwalk. It had taken less than an hour to get everything on board, and then she had retreated to the bridge to get her launch clearance.

It had been a quiet couple of days to Denon. She had gotten the hydraulic fluid for the landing gear topped up before they had left Corellia, and the _Event Horizon_ was running well so there wasn't much for her to do during the trip. She had spent some time working with Corso, showing him the quirks of her beloved ship, before Viggota had dragged them both down to the lower ring for a sparring session.

She thought she probably still had bruises from that. Viggota and Jorgan hadn't gone easy on any of them, but she thought she might have held her own for the most part. She certainly had a different fighting style than the ones who had military training.

Offloading at Haven's workshop had gone almost as smoothly as picking up the cargo on Corellia, save for a problem with one of the automated forklifts. Its hydraulics had failed when it had been halfway into the cargo hold, leaving it blocking the doors for nearly half an hour before Haven's people had managed to get it dragged off to the side so they could finish unloading.

Haven himself was a lovely man to work with, and had been able to point Rian towards a friend of his who was looking to ship some computer chips off-world. With a solid lead for their next job, and the credits from the first one in her account, Rian had figured it was time to unwind a bit. It had been a stressful couple of weeks for all of them.

Rian swallowed the last sip of her drink and stood up, drawing the eyes of her new crew. "I'm going to go dance. You're all welcome to join me if you'd like." She didn't wait for a response before spinning on her heel and making for the dance floor, head already bobbing to the beat. It wasn't crowded enough that she'd have to fight for space, and she slipped neatly around a couple of very enthusiastic Human women and tucked herself between them and one of the speakers. The heavy bass rumbled through her bones and she tilted her head back and half-closed her eyes. She didn't recognize the song, but it had a good beat.

Movement nearby made her turn and she grinned to see Lomning standing behind her. "Want to dance?" she hollered over the music. Instead of answering, he bowed to her and started to move. He was as graceful as ever, somehow managing to keep the beat with movements that flowed like water. And he was good, maybe even better than she was.

It was a few minutes longer before Viggota and Corso joined them. Rian shifted to make room, remembering Viggota's enthusiastic style from their evening at the Short Circuit on Coruscant. He got very into the music, and she didn't want to catch an accidental elbow. Corso was much more reserved, and didn't really seem to know what to do with his body. He kept his arms tucked in and his head down as he shuffled from foot to foot, clearly self-conscious.

"Just let go," she hollered to him. "Feel the music, and move with it. It isn't hard."

Corso gave an awkward shrug. "Not quite sure what I'm doing, Captain."

"Have fun with it," she replied, spinning closer and pressing a hand to his chest, tapping the beat with one blue finger against his cream-coloured shirt. "There's no real rules other than that." He blinked down at her hand and if anything, his dancing seemed to get worse. She chuckled and pulled away a little. Apparently she was hindering more than she was helping.

The song changed to one with a heavy, driving beat and Viggota tapped her on the shoulder and held out a hand in question. She grinned and stepped closer. His hands slid to her hips and she hooked one of hers over his broad shoulder. She was sure they were scandalizing Corso, but she was having fun.

She let Viggota have two songs before she spun away with a grin to dance on her own again. Corso was frowning a bit, but he hid it quickly when she looked at him. Lomning looked as inscrutable as ever, eyes half-closed as he danced. She peered over her shoulder towards the table where Jorgan still sat, nursing what she assumed was still the same drink as before. She couldn't exactly order him to join them, but he didn't look all that happy on his own either. She'd have to figure something out. Maybe he didn't like dancing, but she should find a something that would make him feel included the next time they all went out.

Three songs later, she felt a pair of warm, heavy hands slide onto her hips from behind, callused palms catching slightly on the soft cloth of her tight-fitting trousers. She wasn't overly surprised - it wouldn't be the first time someone had decided to dance with her without asking permission first. It didn't mean she had to like it, though. She was about to turn around and give her new partner a piece of her mind when she noticed she matching expressions of surprise that Corso, Lomning, and Viggota were wearing. Before she could move, the man behind her lowered his head so that his lips were beside her ear. She could feel soft fur against her skin, and short whiskers that tickled as he spoke.

"Act natural," Jorgan said, barely loud enough to be heard over the music. She blinked in surprise. Something must be wrong - there was no way he would have initiated this kind of contact otherwise.

"What's going on?" she replied, letting her head fall back against his shoulder so she could see his face. He looked worried, and she let her hands brush along her hips to make sure her blasters were still within easy reach.

"There's someone watching us, specifically you." She could feel the slight prick of claws as his grip tightened on her hips before she could turn. "Don't look around. I don't know if she knows I've spotted her. She looks pretty nervous, whoever she is, and that's never a good sign."

Rian frowned, covering Jorgan's hands with her own to loosen them before his claws damaged her pants. She had just gotten them on Coruscant and she didn't want them ruined already. His fur was warm and soft under her fingers. "I need to see her. Where is she?"

"Other side of the bar. She's short, skinny, dark hair. Human. At least one blaster on her belt. Not sure what else she might be carrying." He shifted slightly, leg pressing against hers to get her to turn with him.

Rian let her eyes drift along the far wall, trying not to focus on anything in particular, but she was able to get a glimpse of the person she thought Jorgan was talking about. She did look nervous, unable to sit still. She was tiny, with tanned skin and long dark hair that she had tied back at the nape of her neck. She was constantly playing with the end of her braid, running it between her fingertips and occasionally chewing on it. Jorgan had described her as skinny, but Rian would have said scrawny, thin to the point of looking unhealthy, and she looked like she would be a few inches shorter than Rian. She wasn't sure if it was her nervousness or her small size, but Rian thought she seemed very young. She was throwing completely unsubtle glances at the dance floor, and Rian let her gaze slide easily past before their eyes could meet. The girl jerked her head away hastily, and several of her neighbours at the bar followed the motion curiously. She wasn't surprised that Jorgan had noticed her. The girl was doing everything to draw attention but holding up a flashing neon sign. "I don't recognize her."

The Cathar shrugged behind her and continued the slow spin to bring them back facing the others. He was actually a pretty decent dancer, she mused. He seemed to know what he was doing, at least, and he kept the beat easily. "What's going on?" Viggota asked, though Rian had to lip-read through the music. She tapped one of Jorgan's hands and he released her so she could dance with Viggota.

"We're being watched - or rather, I am. Want to lay a trap?" The big soldier grinned down at her, hands warm on her lower back.

"Sounds like a plan. Where's the target?"

Rian turned them so he could see over her shoulder. "Human female, dark hair tied back. She's small, and skinny. Past the bar."

"I see her." He leaned back a bit to look down at her. "Let me go get another round of drinks, get a closer look."

"We'll meet you back at the table," she said, glancing over her shoulder to confirm that it was still empty. She stepped away from Viggota with a grin and waved him towards the bar, then took Corso's hand and linked her arm through Lomning's. "Vig's going to get drinks," she said, jerking her chin at Jorgan. "Let's take a break."

The three followed obediently, though Lomning and Corso looked confused. She flopped down into a chair and leaned forward to rest her elbows on the table. She glanced over to where Viggota was trying to get the bartender's attention, then looked at the rest of her crew. "Jorgan's spotted someone who looks like she's watching me. Vig's getting a closer look, and then we're going to set a bit of an ambush, find out what she wants."

"Why not just walk up and ask her?" Corso asked, shifting like he was about to turn and look.

Rian grabbed his hand quickly before he could move. "In my experience, it's better to have that sort of conversation somewhere a little more private," she said, glancing around at the crowded cantina. "If guns do happen to come out, I'd hate to have civilians caught in the middle of it." Jorgan and Lomning were nodding their agreement, and Corso grimaced. "Hopefully, it turns out to be nothing serious. But I believe in being prepared, and I'd always rather talk on my own terms."

"Makes sense, I guess," Corso said, though he still looked unhappy. Rian squeezed his hand and then let go to give Viggota room to set their drinks down as he returned.

"Definitely armed," the big soldier replied, spinning his chair around to sit backwards with his arms crossed along the back. "I saw a blaster on her hip, but she doesn't seem comfortable with it. She looks nervous, scared almost."

"Never a good sign," Lomning mused, reaching for his drink. It was the same Technicolor disaster he had ordered earlier. "Do you believe she means us harm?"

Viggota shrugged. "I can't say for sure, but generally a blaster and an attitude like hers don't go well together. I'd say she's trying to work up her courage for something."

"And you don't recognize her, Captain?" Lomning asked, taking a sip of his drink as he looked over at Rian.

"She doesn't look familiar at all," she replied, swirling her glass to hear the ice cubes clink. "But I don't want to give her too much time to stew. As soon as we finish this round, we should go."

"Do you have a plan?" Jorgan asked, tapping his claws absently on the edge of the table.

"I was thinking an ambush. She'll probably follow us when we leave, and there's that lovely quiet choke point on the way back to the ship, right past the droid servicing shop."

Viggota was nodding in agreement. "The streets around there should be empty, this time of night. But won't that look suspicious? It's not the usual way back to the spaceport."

"It is if you're docked at the end, where we are," Rian pointed out. She took a long swallow of her drink and sighed. "This really isn't how I wanted this night to go," she said mournfully. "I hardly got to dance at all!"

Viggota chuckled and patted her on the shoulder. "Next port, right?"

She smiled and tapped her glass against his. "Absolutely."

*****

The spot Rian had chosen for the confrontation was where the main thoroughfare turned a corner and narrowed to a side street. The droid servicing shop was dark and quiet, all the doors and windows closed tight. There was a small grocery shop opposite it, and a handful of other assorted shops lined the street. They were all closed, though a faint gleam of light still showed through one window. Either someone was still in the back room, or they had forgotten to turn off the light when they left.

Rian had been cheerfully "drunk" when they left the cantina, skipping ahead and laughing and teasing her crew. It had given her ample opportunity to turn and look behind them as they had walked. The young woman was definitely following them, trying to be stealthy and failing miserably. She moved like someone who had only ever watched people sneaking around in spy holos, but had never tried to do anything of the sort herself. She had stayed about two blocks behind them, meaning they didn't have a whole lot of time to set up their ambush.

Viggota and Jorgan were on opposite sides of the entrance to the street, Viggota behind the tall sign advertising the grocery store and Jorgan tucked into the slightly recessed doorway of the repair shop. In his dark clothing, he was nearly invisible except for the bright gleam of his eyes.

Lomning and Corso were at Rian's shoulders in a narrow alley beside the repair shop. The street was dimly lit by lamps at the corners, though the nearest one was burnt out. Rian counted time by her breaths until she heard the uncertain footsteps of their pursuer.

The young woman rounded the corner and stopped. She was close enough to the streetlight that Rian could see her chewing on her bottom lip. She heard a low murmur of sound and though she couldn't make out what the girl was saying, she definitely recognized the panicked tone to it. Probably something to the effect of, "I can't believe I lost them; what do I do now?"

Rian stepped out of the alley and cleared her throat, and the girl froze. She clearly wasn't a professional, because her hand didn't even make a move towards the blaster on her hip. "I guess you're looking for me," the Twi'lek said, sauntering slowly out of the shadows towards the young woman. Lomning and Corso stayed where they were, for the moment. "Care to tell me why?"

The girl looked even skinnier up close, and Rian thought that her assessment of "scrawny" had been pretty correct. Her eyes were huge and terrified in her thin face, and her clothes looked threadbare and ill-fitting. Even her blaster had seen better days. Suddenly seeming to remember it, she scrabbled awkwardly for it before pointing it clumsily at Rian. "Uh... yeah. I'm here to take you in. For a bounty. On you. Um... obviously." She winced, chewing on her bottom lip.

Rian heard faint movement behind her, and could imagine Corso wanting to leap to her aid and Lomning stopping him. She shifted her weight and rested her hands on her hips, her blasters in easy reach. "What bounty might that be?" she asked, keeping her voice low and calm. The girl was no bounty hunter, she'd bet her ship on it.

"R-Rogun's," the girl stammered, clearly put off by Rian's casual pose.

The Twi'lek swore silently. She knew she'd pay for non-delivery of those blasters, but she hadn't thought word would have gotten out so fast. She thought she would have had a chance to contact Rogun first and arrange to repay him. And how had this girl found her here, of all places? "You think you're going to be able to collect on that one?" she asked, taking a step forward. The girl's hand started to shake.

"Stay back!" she cried, voice getting higher. "Don't come any closer, or I'll shoot!"

"You're not actually a hunter, are you?" Rian asked rhetorically, taking another step to keep the young woman from noticing that Viggota and Jorgan were creeping slowly closer. "If you were, you'd have asked at least one question before you pulled that gun on me."

The girl looked confused, the barrel of the blaster tipping downwards slightly. "What question?"

Rian smiled viciously, and the girl actually shrank back a pace. "Where's my crew?"

Jorgan sprang, covering the last few steps in one jump. His hand closed around the young woman's wrist, forcing the blaster up and away from Rian. The girl yelled in shock and Viggota grabbed her other hand before she could strike out at the Cathar. It only took a moment for them to wrestle the blaster away from her and pin her between them.

Rian stepped up to take the blaster from Viggota, hearing Lomning and Corso coming up behind her. "Good work, guys." She flashed a quick smile over her shoulder. Corso looked concerned, even though the so-called bounty hunter hadn't even gotten off a shot. Rian could hear her sniffling as she squirmed in the grip of the implacable soldiers, clearly trying not to cry.

"Hey," Corso said, slipping around Rian to stand in front of the girl. "You okay?" His voice was soft, like he was trying to soothe a frightened animal, or a child.

The girl looked up at him, blinking back tears, and shrugged as best she could in the grip of the soldiers. "Not really." Her voice was small and hitched slightly.

"What's wrong?" he asked gently. Rian arched an eyebrow at him. Was he really doing this? The girl had been tailing them, and had pulled a gun. She had threatened to bring Rian in for a bounty, and now Corso was going all soft on her? Sure, she looked like she was down on her luck, but there were dozens just like her on every planet. Rian might even have helped her out herself, if the girl hadn't just threatened her and her crew.

"Are you kidding me?" Jorgan echoed Rian's thoughts, his voice harsh enough to make the girl flinch. "She's saying she's a bounty hunter, she pulled a gun on us, and you're going all mushy on her?"

Corso frowned at the Cathar, and Rian grabbed the young man's shoulder before he could respond. "Jorgan's right. She followed us, threatened us. I'm inclined to knock her out and leave her in an alley." The girl swallowed audibly, and Corso's eyes slanted back to her before he pulled Rian aside.

"Look, Captain..." He rubbed the back of his neck, looking awkward. "I know you think I'm soft towards women, but look at her. She clearly hasn't had a good meal in months, and you know she hasn't got the faintest idea of how to use that blaster she was carrying." He plucked it from Rian's grip and looked it over absently as he spoke. "She's no more a bounty hunter than I am."

"So what are you suggesting, Riggs?" Rian asked, crossing her arms over her chest and looking up at the young man. "Give her some credits and send her on her way? You know she'll just come after us again. She's desperate, I can see that. But she's after me, and I'm sure as stars not going to help her catch me."

"And I'm not saying you should," Corso agreed hastily. "Just... what if we brought her with us? She knows about the bounty, maybe she can tell us where she found out about it, and what she knows. More information's always good, right?" He looked down at her hopefully, and Rian sighed.

"I think you have an ulterior motive or two, Farm Boy. I'm not in the business of taking in strays, you know."

Corso smiled suddenly, bright and sunny. "You took us in, Captain."

That startled a laugh out of her, and she smacked him lightly across the chest. He did have a point, and he was right about the girl. There was no way she was a real bounty hunter. She looked lost, scared, and desperate. Rian had been there before. You jumped on any chance you could to get some credits at that point. "You want her around, Riggs? She's your responsibility, then. I'll fix one of the cargo holds up as a cell, but you're in charge of watching her. She gets out, she hurts anyone on my ship, and that's on your head. Clear?" The young man nodded, eyes wide. Rian waved to Lomning, who quickly joined them. "Against my better judgement, my first mate has convinced me to bring her on board," she told the Jedi. "Can you mind-trick her so she doesn't cause us any problems on the way back? If we knock her out and throw her over Vig's shoulder, spaceport security might think that looks a bit suspicious."

Lomning chuckled, tucking his hands into the opposite sleeves. "I believe I can come up with something suitable." He tilted his head, studying Rian and then Corso. "What changed your mind?"

Rian shifted from foot to foot, wondering how to answer that. She saw some of herself in the girl, from years ago. Someone had taken a chance on her when she had no hope left. If it hadn't been for that, she wouldn't be where she was today. "Corso thinks we can get information from her," she replied curtly. She knew Lomning would see through her answer, but she hoped he would accept it for now. "And if we leave her behind, she might keep coming after me. Keep your enemies close, right?"

The Jedi shook his head, clearly not believing her explanation, but let it slide. "As you say, Captain." He gave her a look, and Rian knew she'd have to discuss this further with him later, but at least he was letting her get away with it for now. He stepped back over to where the girl had clearly given up hope, and stood between Viggota and Jorgan with her eyes on the ground.

"What's going on?" Jorgan asked suspiciously when Lomning approached.

"The captain has asked me to speak with our... guest," he replied, putting a finger under the girl's chin and tilting her head up so she was looking at him. "Hello," he said with a smile. "What's your name?"

"Xirra," she replied, tentatively, giving Lomning a suspicious look. "What are you going to do to me?"

"Just talk," the Jedi said soothingly. "My name is Lomning. I wish we could have met under better circumstances, but it is still a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Rian could hear Lomning's voice changing, becoming more rhythmic and calming. It would be easy to let herself be drawn in to his words. She could see Viggota and Jorgan watching with confusion as the Jedi worked his magic on the young woman. Soon, she was nodding along to what he was saying, eyes dreamy and unfocused.

"I think you guys can let go now," Rian said softly, not wanting to disturb the spell Lomning was weaving. "We're taking her back to the ship for questioning," she explained, holding up a hand to forestall any questions. "We'll discuss it once we've got her secured."

Viggota nodded and carefully released Xirra, with Jorgan following suit with more reluctance. "I hope you know what you're doing, Captain," he said.

She sighed, watching Lomning tuck the girl's arm through his to guide her back to the ship. "I hope so too," she muttered under her breath.


	4. Chapter 4

Setting Xirra up in one of the small cargo holds on the upper ring hadn't taken very long at all. Rian had sent Seetoo - who had been appropriately horrified at the thought of having a bounty hunter on board - to make up a pallet, and Lomning had convinced the girl to lie down. A light touch of his finger to her forehead, and she was sound asleep.

"She needs the rest," he told the others, voice quiet. "Her body is exhausted."

Rian frowned a little at the soft look that Corso gave the sleeping girl, and shooed everyone out of the cargo hold. "Corso, go get her some food. Stuff that'll keep until she wakes up. We'll leave it here for her." She stopped at the entrance of the cargo hold and popped the panel beside the door open. Normally, the bays could be opened from inside or outside, but she certainly didn't want to give Xirra the opportunity to let herself out.

"You mean to just leave her in there by herself?" Corso balked.

"There are cameras and sensors in there. We can monitor her from the bridge and know exactly when she wakes up." It didn't take Rian long to disable the internal door controls. And just in case their new guest had any skills at slicing, she physically disconnected the internal panel, pulling the wires out and tucking them into her pocket before she closed the door and locked it.

"She will likely sleep for several hours," Lomning interjected. "I do not expect her to wake before the morning. I planted the suggestion that she is safe here, and can sleep deeply."

Rian hid a shudder at the thought of someone poking around in her head, making her feel or think things that she usually wouldn't. She trusted Lomning, and knew why he had done this to Xirra, but it didn't make her any more comfortable with the thought of having it done to her instead.

"Captain," Corso said stubbornly. "I don't like the idea of leaving her alone."

"Go and get her some food," Viggota said. He and Jorgan had been very quiet on the way back to the ship. "I think we all need to sit down and have a conversation."

"I agree," Corso said. "We need to discuss this. I know you're the captain," he said, turning to Rian. "But you promised us a say in your decisions."

"I don't think that's the biggest problem right now," Jorgan rumbled. He slanted an angry glare at Rian. "I think we need to talk about the fact that we're travelling with a captain who has a bounty out on her!"

Rian blinked in surprise. It wasn't the first time she had had a bounty on her, and she'd always managed to work things out before. It wasn't exactly _normal_ , even in her line of work, but all independent captains ran the risk of it from time to time. "It's not that big of a deal," she said with a shrug.

"I think it is," Viggota interjected. "You're acting awfully casual about this, but you've got all of us involved now."

"Now wait just a minute," Corso said hotly. "You can't go blaming this on her!"

Lomning held up a calming hand before Jorgan could do more than bristle angrily at the young man. "Enough. Corso, go and fetch a tray for our guest. We will meet you in the common room. Viggota is right; this is something we should all discuss together."

Rian scowled at the others, not liking the fact that they were ordering her around on her own ship, but when she glanced at Lomning he shook his head slightly and made a soothing motion with his hand. She trusted him to keep the discussion from spiralling out of control. She knew that she, Corso, Viggota, and Jorgan could get a little hot-headed, and was thankful for the Jedi's calming presence.

"Fine," she said, trying to keep her voice level. Snapping at her crew wouldn't improve matters. "Let's talk. This is all just a misunderstanding."

Viggota and Jorgan looked unconvinced, but everyone followed Lomning to the common room. The wait while Corso put together a tray of snacks for Xirra was tense, with no one willing to say anything that might escalate things before Corso got back.

Rian realized she was perched quite stiffly on the edge of her chair and quickly slumped backwards against the cushions instead. She knew exactly why she was tense. She didn't know these men very well, and they had only been on her ship for a few days and already her leadership was being called into question. She didn't think a mutiny was likely, but there was no way she would lose her ship again. This had all been so much easier when she had been alone on the _Event Horizon_. It was true that she hadn't had anyone to watch her back, but she also hadn't had to be wary of knives in it.

Before she could truly dwell on the ridiculousness of Corso or Lomning stabbing her in the back, Corso returned and tentatively seated himself on the sofa beside Lomning. Viggota was in one of the comfortable chairs beside it, not looking much more relaxed than Rian, and Jorgan was prowling back and forth near the doorway. She wished he would sit down. The constant movement wasn't helping her nerves.

Lomning cleared his throat delicately, drawing everyone's eyes. "Viggota, you had something you wanted to discuss."

The big soldier had obviously made an effort to calm down in the past few minutes, and his voice was steady and level. "You have to understand, this is a strange situation for Jorgan and me. We didn't exactly deal with a lot of bounty situations in our line of work. Clearly, you have, so you know a lot more about this than us. What can you tell us about it?"

Jorgan growled from behind him, a low, menacing sound, but Viggota and Lomning both held up placating hands at exactly the same moment. "Aric," Lomning said quietly. "Let her speak. You will have your turn." The Cathar curled his lip up in a brief snarl before going back to pacing.

Rian bit her lower lip, lacing her hands together in her lap so tightly that her blue skin paled to nearly white at her knuckles. "Bounties are a way of life for independent captains," she told them, pleased at how calm she sounded. She wasn't going to be the one to escalate this. It was her ship, and she was in charge. "It isn't common, especially if you stick to the more above-board jobs. But the best money is in stuff that's sometimes a little shady, and that's when you can get into trouble. I've had a bounty taken out on me twice - well, three times now," she amended. "The first time was a mess. I made the delivery, but the person who met me to pick up the shipment was a thief. He had fake documents - really good ones - and took off with the cargo before the real recipient turned up. My client eventually worked out what had happened, and took the bounty off me to track down the thief instead, but it wasn't fun in the meantime." She shook her head, remembering those tense days. It had been shortly after she had taken command of the _Event Horizon_ , and her first solo job. She had been afraid to make port for fear of getting caught by one of the hunters that had been on her trail. She had nearly run out of supplies before the mess had been sorted out.

"The other time my cargo got confiscated when I got caught trying to run an Imperial blockade," she said. "I sat in their cells for a couple of days until I got a guard who was thinking with the wrong head and thought I'd be a fun diversion during a long boring shift." She grinned viciously at the memory. "He died by his own gun, and I managed to get my ship back, but the cargo was long gone." She shrugged and spread her hands. "I had to pay for that one - the delivery fee plus the cost of the cargo, plus interest. I assume that's what Rogun's looking for now."

Corso's eyes were wide when she finished talking. "Stars, Captain! You got captured by Imps?"

"A couple of times," she said. "Or at least detained more than once by them. I've only spent time in their cells twice."

"Do I even want to know what you did the second time?" Jorgan asked. Anger made his voice deeper than usual.

Rian suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. "I doubt it," she snapped curtly, and pushed herself to her feet. She was done letting him try to make her feel like dirt about this. "Look, this bounty is probably not a big deal. If it's attracting hunters of Xirra's calibre, it's not a rich one. I've got the credits from the Denon job, and soon the ones from Allanteen Six, and then I'll contact Viidu to put me in touch with Rogun to discuss paying him back."

"Why not call him now?" Jorgan asked, finally stopping his pacing. Rian didn't think it was an accident that he was between her and the door. "Why wait and put all of us in danger?"

She took a couple of steps forward, but was unsurprised that he didn't move. "Because what if he asks for a credit transfer right away? The money from the Denon job won't be enough to convince him to suspend the bounty. It's barely a quarter of what I was paid up front for the job. I'm not going to call and grovel. I'm going to bargain from a position of strength, or at least as much as I can manage."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Corso asked from the couch. Rian turned to look at him. "Why didn't you tell us this was likely to happen?"

"I admit the bounty surprised me," she said. "Most people would make an attempt to communicate first, either to work out a deal, or to threaten, depending on the person. I didn't think he'd put a bounty up so quickly."

"So what's the plan, then?" Viggota asked. He had leaned back in his chair again and while he didn't look completely relaxed, he looked a little more comfortable than he had at the start of the discussion.

"We're going to finish this job, and I'm going to contact Rogun when I've got the credits in my account. If he demands immediate payment, at least I'll have something to give him as a show of good faith. And then we need to keep working, so I can pay back the rest of it before he gets too impatient."

"And what about us?" Jorgan asked, bracing his hands on his hips.

"You're probably safe," she said. "Xirra was only after me. If you want to leave the ship, I understand." She ignored the pang that she felt at the thought of being alone again. "Allanteen Six isn't much of a place to disembark, but you'd be able to find passage back to the Core Worlds easy enough. I've got enough saved up to pay you for the last two jobs, so you'll have more than enough credits."

"Now wait just a minute!" Corso cried, jumping to his feet. "We're not going to abandon you!"

She half-turned towards him to give him a quick smile that she didn't really feel. "It's okay, Riggs. I understand. This isn't exactly what any of you signed up for."

"Doesn't matter," the kid said, his chin jutting out stubbornly. "I ain't leaving."

Her second smile was more genuine. "I don't have to warn you that it might be dangerous."

"Captain, just living is dangerous," he replied. "But you don't have to do this alone."

She gave him a quick nod, tamping down hard on the surge of emotion that his words caused. She didn't have the luxury of dealing with that now, not with Jorgan still blocking the doorway and scowling blackly at her, and with Viggota and Lomning watching the whole scene. But it felt good to know that at least one of them would stand with her, no matter what.

"I will stay as well," Lomning said, voice soft enough to draw everyone's attention. "A Jedi does not abandon his friends in a time of need."

"I really appreciate the offer," she told him, turning her back on Jorgan to meet the Jedi's eyes, surprised that she didn't feel her usual unease at having an enemy behind her. She wasn't quite sure what to make of that. "But are you sure it's a good idea to be associated with me right now? Won't that reflect badly on you?"

Lomning tapped a finger absently on his knee, pausing to think before replying. "Captain, as I told your friend Brekka, a Jedi is to some extent free to make his own choices. The Code and the Order help to guide our choices, and to steer us away from ones that could cause harm, but I do not believe that staying with you is counter to my Code. You are a good, honourable person, and you try to do the best for those around you. The galaxy could use more people like you."

Rian couldn't help the heat that she felt spreading across her face, and she shoved her hands awkwardly into her pockets to keep from fidgeting nervously. "Ah... I appreciate the vote of confidence," she said once she found her voice again. She wasn't used to compliments like that, and certainly not from a Jedi. Before meeting Lomning, she would have been surprised if one of the Order would have even given her the time of day. He was certainly forcing her to change her opinions.

Behind her, Jorgan made an irritated noise. "So that's it? We're just sweeping this under the rug? This bounty is putting everyone on this ship in danger."

"I agree," Viggota said, and Rian turned to see him stand and walk towards Jorgan. "But it sounds like Rian has a good plan in place to deal with it. Unless you have another suggestion?"

Jorgan stood his ground stubbornly, even though he had to look up to meet Viggota's eyes. "No, sir," he ground out through clenched teeth.

Viggota studied Jorgan a moment longer, then jerked his chin towards the door. "Right. Downstairs, now."

The Cathar narrowed his eyes in fury, but turned on his heel and stalked out without another word. Viggota offered an apologetic look over his shoulder before following.

Rian heard the clatter of their boots on the stairs down to the lower ring and leaned out the door to holler after them. "No brawling on the ship!"

"Aye, Captain," Viggota's voice drifted up from below and she sighed and rested her forehead against the doorframe.

"This is going to end badly, isn't it?" she asked rhetorically. Wisely, neither Corso nor Lomning answered.

*****

There hadn't been any broken bones, but Lomning had had to treat Jorgan for a dislocated wrist and Viggota for a concussion. Both had also been sporting scrapes and bruises, but the tension had been smoothed over and Jorgan was perfectly pleasant to everyone the next day. Well, as pleasant as the Cathar ever was, Rian mused. She was on the bridge, with Jorgan seated at the forward left gunner's seat. She had come to check over the ship's systems but was now just relaxing and watching the stars streak by as the _Event Horizon_ hummed through hyperspace.

Neither she nor Jorgan had said anything to each other in the hour she had been on the bridge. He had already been there when she had arrived, and had acknowledged her entrance with a nod before turning his eyes back to his screens. She appreciated having someone manning the bridge, even though these hyperspace lanes were well-established and there weren't likely to be any surprises. It was nice, having other people on board to share the duties.

She leaned back, watching Jorgan's ears twitch as her chair creaked faintly. She chewed briefly on her bottom lip, but she would have to talk to him sometime and this was as good a chance as any. "How's your wrist?" she asked quietly. She knew he wouldn't have any trouble hearing her, even over the sound of the engines that permeated the ship.

"Fine," he grunted, and she rolled her eyes. Of course they were back to one-word answers. She was about to stand and leave to let him have his solitude when he spoke up again. "I appreciate you not intervening, yesterday," he said grudgingly.

She settled back into her chair, eying the tense line of his shoulders. "Even though you guys broke the no brawling on the ship rule?" she said, keeping her voice flat even as her lips twitched upwards. That got a reaction out of him and he jerked his head around to look at her. He saw that she was teasing and relaxed fractionally. "It's okay. I may not really understand, but it clearly worked."

Jorgan made a face, turning slightly in his chair so he could see her while still keeping an eye on his screens. "I'm not exactly proud to admit it, but yes. I badly needed to hit something yesterday. Lieutenant Din-amarth was kind enough to oblige me."

"You can probably call him Viggota, you know," she said, bracing one foot against the edge of her console. Jorgan's eyes followed the movement but she knew she wasn't in danger of hitting any of the controls.

"It just doesn't feel right, not yet," he admitted reluctantly.

She hesitated before asking quietly. "I guess you guys decided to stay on?" She had already talked to Viggota about it, and knew that he was willing to stay, but he had seemed a little unsure about Jorgan's decision.

"For now," the Cathar said with a shrug. "I'm not really the sort to run at the first sign of trouble." Something on his screen drew his attention momentarily before his eyes flicked back to hers, yellow-green gaze intent. "But still, I wanted to apologize for my behaviour."

"It's all right," she said, hiding her surprise at his words. She wasn't sure if she was more surprised by the apology or the fact that he had chosen to stay. "Vig was right. It was a strange situation for you guys, and I didn't even think about it. I could have handled it better." She made a face and shook her head. "I'm not used to having soldiers on board. I usually work with people with a slightly different moral compass and completely different life experiences."

"So you're saying none of your previous crew members would have cared about the bounty?" Jorgan sounded curious rather than accusatory, and Rian took a moment to think before replying.

"They would have cared, but they would have all known how to handle it. Most people who've spent time in my line of work would know, even if they've never been in the situation before." She kept her eyes on the stars but she was watching Jorgan carefully in her peripheral vision. "There are basically three ways you can handle a bounty. Pay whatever penalty you need to get it removed, try to run and hide, or kill the person who's gunning for you. The more honest spacers will try to avoid the third one, and in my experience the second one never really works. You'd spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder, and that's no kind of life."

Jorgan nodded thoughtfully, absently tapping his claws on the armrest of his chair. "Why wouldn't people go after whoever's put a bounty on them, though?" he asked. "Aren't most of them criminals anyways?"

He still sounded honestly curious, like he was actually trying to learn and understand, so Rian answered as best she could. "Well, first there's the problem of finding them. Bounties are often placed through a broker or an intermediary, so it's sometimes tough to find out who exactly you're looking for. It can take a lot of time and effort to track them down, and there's usually bloodshed along the way, or at least threats of bodily harm, and that's no way to make friends. So now you've pissed off everyone along the way, and there's still a bounty out on you so you're dodging hunters too. And if you do manage to find the person who put out the bounty and either kill them or convince them to change their mind, you now have a reputation. It won't make people any less likely to put out a bounty on you again the next time you piss someone off, it'll just make them more careful. So now it's even harder to find them, and fewer people are willing to help you out. It's just a bad idea all around, if you want to keep any legitimate contacts."

The Cathar nodded again. "That makes sense." His lip quirked up slightly in a motion that was very nearly a proper smile. "And I'm glad to hear that you're not in the habit of murdering your way across the galaxy."

Rian surprised herself with a laugh and Jorgan's expression lightened. "Not usually," she teased, dropping her foot back down to the ground and pushing herself to her feet. "We're okay?" she asked tentatively. She hated being at odds with one of her crew. Most of the people she had travelled with in the past had been very nearly family, but she just wasn't sure how to handle Jorgan.

"Yeah, we're good," he said, and he actually seemed to be telling the truth. She clapped him lightly on the shoulder, which seemed to surprise him a little, and left the bridge with a lighter step. If she could make peace with Jorgan, she could get along with anyone.

*****

"But Captain...!" Corso started, and Rian interrupted him quickly.

"But nothing, Riggs. We had a deal. She's confined to that cargo hold until further notice. And I'll be the one to decide when she gets out, not you!" Rian braced her hands on her hips, glaring up at the young man. "I don't care what sob story she's given you. I still don't trust her, and she's not getting free run of my ship!"

Rian had known this confrontation would be inevitable. They were three days out from Denon, not quite halfway to Allanteen Six with a hold full of computer chips to deliver, and Corso had been spending most of his free time in the converted cell with Xirra. He'd talked of practically nothing else every time Rian saw him, so she knew the girl had at least opened up to the young farm boy.

She'd given him quite the tale, from what he'd told Rian. On the run from a controlling family and an arranged marriage to an abusive older man, she had bought passage on whichever ship was leaving the spaceport next, hopping from planet to planet until her credits had run out and left her stranded on Denon. She hadn't even had enough left to buy food for the past few weeks, and had been scrounging what she could find. She had gotten into the habit of checking the bounty boards in case her family had decided to send someone after her, but when she had recognized Rian in the cantina she had seized her opportunity.

A nice story, if it were true. Personally, Rian had her doubts. It was just too perfectly crafted to tug at the heartstrings, to make the listener feel bad for poor little Xirra - if that was even actually her name. The galaxy was a big place, but a few inquiries to her contacts hadn't turned up anyone looking for a girl named Xirra at all. So either her supposed family hadn't cared that she had "vanished", or she had another name.

Corso flung himself down onto the couch in the common room, and manfully didn't pout. "She's bored, though."

"So bring her a book," Rian countered, hooking a foot around the leg of the nearest chair to drag it closer. She sat down facing Corso. "She could be making the whole thing up. I'm not saying she's necessarily a danger to us," she added quickly when Corso opened his mouth to object. "I'm just saying that we don't know anything about her for sure other than the fact that she pulled a gun on us. She could be playing us, or she could be telling the truth. There's no way to know for sure since she won't tell us her name."

"What do you mean? She told us already."

"She told us part of a name, which may or may not be her real name. I've talked to my contacts. No one is looking for a girl named Xirra. So either her family doesn't care that she ruined their plans, or she's going by a fake name right now. Which is fine; I completely understand that. But you have to be aware that she's not necessarily being completely up-front with us."

The young man sighed, stretching out on the couch and staring up at the ceiling. "But she just seems so _nice_."

Rian smiled, stretching her legs out and crossing them at the ankles. "And she may be. It's possible her story is true. But don't just blindly believe anything a pretty face tells you. There are a lot of people that we'll deal with that'll tell you anything they think you'll believe."

"I know, Captain." Corso tucked his arms behind his head. "But I want to help her. She seems so lost."

"I agree," Rian said. "She definitely needs help. But we can't help her if she won't tell us the truth, or if she doesn't trust us."

"Well, you did kind of kidnap her," the young man grumbled.

"You'd have rather I knocked her out and left her there?"

Corso frowned at her. "No, of course not. But I can understand why she might not trust us. Have you even talked to her since she came on board?"

"I've been busy. And she's been in good hands."

"Maybe, but she should talk to someone other than me sometimes too," Corso said, belatedly hiding a yawn behind one hand.

"Go get some sleep, Riggs," Rian said, nudging his hip with her foot. "You've been spending too much time keeping Xirra company, and not enough time in your own bunk. There's four other people on this ship that can watch her for a few hours."

Corso levered himself up off the couch with another yawn. "You should go talk to her, Captain. Get her story yourself."

"Maybe I will, if you promise not to swallow her whole tale without asking a few questions next time." Corso gave her a thumbs-up, covering a third yawn with his other hand, and shambled slowly out of the common room towards his quarters.

Rian leaned back in her chair and listened to his footsteps fade away around the ring, then waved a hand towards the opposite door. "Might as well come in, Jedi. No sense in lurking out in the corridor."

She could barely hear Lomning's footfalls as he entered the room and sat on the empty couch in front of her. "How did you know I was there?"

Rian shot him a wry grin. "I guessed, actually. I know Vig and Jorgan are still downstairs sparring, the ship's on autopilot, and I didn't hear you say hello when Corso went into your quarters, so I knew you weren't there. I figured you may have been nearby, so I took a chance. No one was around to hear if I'd made a fool of myself."

Lomning laughed, the sound infectious enough that Rian joined in. "What if it had been Seetoo?"

"I'd have heard him coming," she replied with a grin. "What can I help you with?"

"I overheard your conversation with Corso, about Miss Xirra," he said, spreading his hands apologetically.

"We weren't exactly being quiet," Rian said with a shrug. "You have an opinion?"

"I have not spoken with the young lady since she has come on board. I wasn't certain if she would welcome my presence, after my actions on Denon." Lomning sighed, looking down "I know it was the quickest and least-violent way to resolve the situation, but I do not like using my powers on innocents if I can avoid it."

"Noted," Rian replied seriously. "Though I do have to point out that she pulled a gun on us - she's not exactly an innocent." Lomning inclined his head in acknowledgement. "Would you be willing to talk to her? Something about the story she's feeding Corso doesn't sit right with me. It's too perfect of a sob story, you know?"

"You are naturally suspicious," Lomning said, holding up a hand when Rian bristled slightly. "I am not saying that you are wrong in being so, or that you are wrong in this case. But I will speak to her, if you can promise that you will keep an open mind if I believe she is being truthful."

"I'm not about to accuse a Jedi of lying," Rian said with a grin. "Thanks, Lomning. I appreciate it. I think Corso's too ready to believe her, and isn't keeping a level head like he should be. And yeah, I know I can be too suspicious sometimes, but I think I'm allowed to be suspicious of anyone who pulls a gun on me." She stood and stretched, then offered Lomning a hand up. "Whenever you're ready. Corso should be out for a few hours at least, if you want to talk to her now."

"I think now would be a good time. I will bring her some lunch, and report back to you with anything that I learn."

"I appreciate it. Call Seetoo to let you out when you're done talking." Rian stood aside to let him head for the kitchen, as always impressed with how gracefully the bulky Twi'lek moved. No wonder he was such a good dancer, if he had such control over his body. She tapped her fingers absently against the table before heading purposefully in the opposite direction. She needed a distraction, and sparring with Viggota and Jorgan would probably do it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quite a long chapter this time! I hope people are enjoying the story, though.

Rian hit the mats hard but rolled with the impact, avoiding Viggota's follow-up strike and shoving herself to her feet. She was sweaty and breathing hard, but had managed almost ten minutes without letting the big soldier land the "killing" blow. Of course, she hadn't beaten him yet either, but she was just impressed that she was holding her own.

She wasn't all that good at hand-to-hand combat, preferring the surety and distance of her blasters, but she wasn't exactly inexperienced at it either. She was fairly strong for her size, but her smaller stature meant that she would almost always be at a disadvantage in a brawl. So, like she had told Viggota on Corellia, she fought dirty when she needed to. She was trying not to right now, though, since the two soldiers were intent on teaching her what they called "proper technique". She'd never learned anything like it before, proper holds and throws, punches, blocks, and counters. She didn't think she was very good at it, though. It was hard to remember that she was supposed to be doing something specific to counter an attack, rather than going on instinct. Jorgan was spending a lot of time rolling his eyes at her when she messed something up.

Viggota lunged at her again and she ducked under his arms but she knew it was a mistake the second she did it. The big soldier was faster than he looked, and he jerked his leg out to trip her up as she tried to dart past him. She fell heavily again but this time her momentum tangled her up rather than letting her roll away. Viggota was on her in a second and she barely got her arms up in time to block his first strike. The shock vibrated through her forearms and she winced. She'd probably have another bruise.

Her arms were knocked aside by his second blow and his other hand tapped her gently between the collarbones. "Gotcha," he said with a grin. She was gratified to see that he at least looked a little bit out of breath.

"Yeah, yeah," she grumbled, taking his hand to let him pull her to her feet. She rubbed absently at the sore spot on the outside of her forearm and let out a slow breath. She did really appreciate Viggota and Jorgan taking the time to train her, but she'd already amassed more bruises in the last week than she usually did in a year.

"You're doing well," Viggota said, tossing her a towel. "I'm glad you were willing to learn."

"Thanks for teaching me," she said, rubbing the towel across her face and neck, lifting her _lekku_ away from her shoulders to try to cool off. "I'm always keen to learn new ways to stay alive." She laughed, reaching around him for a water bottle. She was surprised when Jorgan handed it to her.

"You're still reacting on instinct," he told her as she took a few sips. "You need to remember your training."

"Cut me some slack," she said mildly. "I've only been training with you guys for a few days. I've been trusting my instincts for a lot longer than that."

"Cutting you slack could get you killed," he snapped, and Viggota held up his hand to interject before things could get heated.

"You're both right," he said, grabbing another bottle of water. "Rian, you're doing well for only having been working on this for a few days, but Jorgan is right. You need to be thinking, rather than just reacting. It's true that instinct has worked for you so far, but I want you to have more weapons in your arsenal than just your wits." He settled down onto the floor to do some cool-down stretches. "Take that last attack, for example. You got out of the way of my arms, which would probably work just fine against anyone who hasn't had formal training, but someone like me or Jorgan would be able to react to that sort of move. It's something we've trained for."

Jorgan leaned back against the wall beside the door, crossing his arms over his chest. He seemed mollified by Viggota's intervention. Rian shrugged uncomfortably, setting her water aside to stretch as well. "Okay, I get it," she said. She was still feeling out what she could say to Jorgan without offending him. Their conversation on the bridge a few days prior seemed to have thawed him out a bit, but it was still like walking a minefield. "But you have to know it's not going to happen overnight."

"I know," Viggota said, looking over his shoulder at Jorgan until the Cathar reluctantly nodded in agreement. "But I'd like you to keep working with us as much as possible. I know repetition is boring, but it means your muscles will know how to move when you need them."

She groaned, flopping back against the mats. "Fine, but I want to start training in my armour so I don't turn into one big bruise!"

Viggota laughed and patted her calf sympathetically. "If you want. You should do some of the training with all your gear on anyways, so that you know how it feels. But it'll be hot, in your full kit."

"I know; I was joking." Rian rolled to her feet and stretched her arms over her head. She ached a bit, but it wasn't too bad. She wished she was somewhere with a real shower, though. The sonic shower in her quarters would get her clean, but it wouldn't feel as nice as a hot water one.

There was a soft step in the hall outside the training room, and Jorgan's head jerked up. Rian and Viggota both looked over quickly, but it was only Lomning. He looked amused to have startled them. "Captain," he said, giving her a brief bow. "I thought you might like to talk."

"I assume this is about our guest?" she asked, picking up her water bottle again and sitting down across from Viggota. The Jedi nodded. "Then let's talk. Pull up a patch of floor. I want everyone's opinions on this."

Lomning settled down in one fluid motion, but Jorgan stayed by the door. "I spoke to Miss Xirra, as you requested," the Jedi said without preamble. "I believe that at least part of the story she was giving to Corso is correct, but not all of it." Rian nodded and motioned for him to continue. A lie was easier to remember when some of it was true. "I do believe she is fleeing her family, but not due to the arranged marriage she claims. I think it is much more likely that she was seeking adventure, and found that it is not as glamorous as the holovids make it seem."

"But why was she running, then?" Viggota asked, fiddling absently with the cap of his water bottle. "If she just left to have an adventure, why not go home now that the shine's worn off?"

The Jedi spread his hands in apology. "I was not able to determine that," he said. "Though I suspect it was not a happy home. She strikes me as one who may have been abused."

Rian winced, looking down at her hands. She suspected she knew the girl's type. It was entirely likely Xirra had created a fantasy world as an escape from her problems at home, a place where she could do what she wanted and go wherever she wished. Reality was rarely so kind. "Anything else?" she asked, tipping her head to look at Lomning.

The other Twi'lek shook his head. "Not really," he replied. "I don't detect any hostility from her. She is scared, and doesn't know what to do. She was telling the truth, though, about not having the credits for food. She is very undernourished."

"Well, we've got lots of supplies," Rian said. She set her water down and leaned back on her hands to look at the other three. "Any opinions?"

"Several, I imagine," Viggota said with a crooked smile. "But I guess you're more looking for suggestions of what to do about her."

Rian chuckled and saw Lomning smile as well. "Yes. I'm glad that she doesn't seem to be a legitimate threat, but I'm still not entirely happy with her."

"Me neither," Jorgan grumbled. "She pulled a gun on you, and threatened all of us. I'm not exactly inclined to let that slide."

"You don't believe in second chances?" Lomning asked curiously. There was something about the tone of his voice that made it clear it was an honest question, and not a confrontation. Rian needed to learn that from him.

The Cathar growled under his breath but finally shrugged. "I don't know. I'm still not sure what to think of her, even with what you've just told us." He finally pushed off the wall and came to sit on the mats between Viggota and Lomning.

"Did she give you anything we can use to confirm her story?" Rian asked. "Her real name, for instance? Where she's from?"

Lomning shook his head. "She was very reluctant to discuss her family," he said. "I did not get any real sense of them from her other than the fact that she did not want to return to them."

"And you're sure she's not a threat?" Viggota pressed. "I'm not saying we let her out," he said to Jorgan when the Cathar opened his mouth to object. "But what about just leaving her on Allanteen Six? It's not like she's got the means to follow us."

"She'll still be desperate and starving, no matter which planet she's on," Jorgan said. "She may be willing to sell us out, even if she can't follow us herself."

Rian wondered briefly when they had become "us" to Jorgan. "Not if we can help her out a bit," she told the others. "I know a couple of people on Allanteen Six that might have jobs available. I doubt she can do heavy warehouse work, but some of them might have something else that she could do. If she's got steady employment she'd be in a better place than we found her."

"But you'd just be giving her the means to come after us again," Jorgan insisted stubbornly.

"I doubt she would," Rian said. "She's clearly not a hunter." She looked to Lomning for confirmation and the Jedi nodded.

"I can talk to her again," he said. "But I think she would appreciate the help."

"And when she gets bored and wants adventure again?" Jorgan asked.

"She didn't seem to like her first taste of it very much," Viggota put in mildly.

"Besides, how would she know where we had gone to be able to tell anyone?" Rian asked.

Jorgan scowled slightly. "I suppose you might be right. It just doesn't sit well with me, letting her go free with no repercussions."

"What else should we do?" Rian asked. "We can't keep her here forever, and we're not killing her."

The Cathar looked startled. "That's not what I was suggesting at all!" he said. "I was thinking we could find a Republic garrison and turn her in. She did threaten a Republic citizen, after all."

Rian blinked at him for a moment. "I... hadn't even thought of that," she admitted. "I suppose it's a possibility."

"I don't think there's a garrison on Allanteen Six, though," Viggota mused. "We'd have to keep her around longer."

"I think this is a decision we need to make as a group, though," Rian said. "We can talk about it when Corso's awake. We've still got time." She glanced around the small group, seeing them all nod in agreement, and then pushed herself to her feet. "I'm going to go get cleaned up," she said. "We'll talk again over dinner."

She had just reached the doorway when the ship lurched suddenly. She barked her shoulder painfully on the doorframe and swore creatively. The ship bucked again, the floor juddering under her feet. She heard the engines screeching in protest as the ship was jerked violently out of hyperspace and then she could feel weapons fire impacting on the _Event Horizon_ 's hull. "We're under attack!" she shouted. "Vig, Jorgan, with me. Lomning, go get Corso, and keep an eye on our guest. I'll let you know if I need you somewhere else."

"Do you think she had something to do with this?" Viggota asked, running alongside Rian as she led the way to the bridge.

"Probably," Jorgan snarled from behind them. "I bet she signalled someone somehow."

"I doubt it," Rian replied, taking the stairs two at a time. She had to catch at the railing as the _Event Horizon_ took another volley and she could hear Seetoo wailing in distress from somewhere deeper in the ship. She hoped he'd have the sense to find something sturdy to hang onto or Corso would have more repairs to do once this was all over. "There's no equipment in the cargo hold that she could use to send any sort of signal. And Jorgan, you searched her yourself. Are you saying you missed something?"

The Cathar growled a bit but subsided. Rian used the door frame to swing herself around without losing momentum and dropped into her chair on the bridge. Viggota and Jorgan buckled themselves quickly into the forward gunner seats and unlocked the ship's weapons.

The scanners showed a single ship, slightly bigger than the _Event Horizon_. It wasn't a freighter, or anything she recognized. Her computer couldn't ping a transponder from it either. It looked like it had been put together from spare parts and behind it was the looming bulk of the asteroid whose gravity well had pulled them out of hyperspace. It was a common bandit tactic, dragging an asteroid close enough to a hyperspace lane to force passing ships back into realspace, but it wasn't usually used on as well-travelled a hyperspace lane as the Corellian Run. "Pirates," she spat, hands flying over her screens as she twisted the ship away from the next volley of blaster fire. "Fire at will," she told the two soldiers, and heard the sound of the _Event Horizon_ 's guns warming up.

The ship responded sluggishly under her hands, the engines having clearly taken damage. Whether it was from blaster fire or from being forced out of hyperspace, she wasn't sure and couldn't spare the time to check. The patchwork pirate ship wasn't very maneuverable but neither was the _Event Horizon_ right now and it was taking every bit of her skill and luck to keep her ship out of the line of fire. Viggota and Jorgan were having more success and were raking the other ship with bolt after bolt of blaster fire.

After yet another close call, Rian reached for the intercom button. "Corso! I need your help up here!" She knew he wasn't as good of a pilot as she was, but she knew her ship's engines better than he did. It was a decision she hated to make, but it might keep them alive.

There was a long pause and then his harried voice came back over the speakers. "I can't right now, Captain."

"What?" She jerked her head up in surprise. Viggota and Jorgan looked as shocked as she felt. "Riggs, get up here and take the controls. I need to get the engines working again."

"Ah... that's what I'm working on, Captain." He sounded uncomfortable, and Rian was half a second from jumping up out of her chair and marching down to the engine room to drag him out by his dreadlocks.

"Captain," Lomning sounded slightly frazzled and out of breath. "I believe we have things under control down here. You should have full engine capabilities back within a few minutes."

Rian jerked the ship hard to the side to avoid another volley and she heard swearing in the background that definitely didn't come from either Lomning or Corso. "Is that Xirra? Are you kidding me that you let her out? Get her away from my engines!"

"Captain," Jorgan growled. "I can go take care of this."

"No," she snapped, twisting the ship through as tight a spiral as she could manage. "I need you here. We've got to disable that ship." She glared out the viewport at the pirate vessel. "Lomning, you had better have a damn good reason for letting a bounty hunter near my engines."

"I do, Captain," he said. "Please, trust me."

Rian wanted to bang her head against the console, but the other ship was firing on them again. She wasn't able to get completely out of the way and sparks flew from one of the bridge consoles. "You've got two minutes," she spat before closing the connection. She could feel the skin between her shoulder blades crawling with tension. She did trust Lomning, but that didn't change the fact that he was letting that girl touch her ship.

Ahead of her, Viggota whooped with glee and a fast-fading burst of red-orange fire blossomed through the viewport. "Got one of their guns!" he called out, bracing himself as Rian evaded a blast from the ship's second gun port.

"Good job," she replied. "See if you can't disable their engines before they decide to run. I don't like the idea of leaving them behind us."

"Me neither," Jorgan snarled, leaning forward as if he could reach out and crush the ship himself. He stabbed at his controls and Rian saw the enemy ship take another hit.

The pirates returned fire and she fought with the control yoke to pull the _Event Horizon_ away from the blast. Suddenly, the sound of the engines changed pitch and the ship started responding the way she wanted it to. With full engines, it was only a matter of time. The _Event Horizon_ practically danced around the pirates. Jorgan managed a full volley to the pirates' engines that left the ship drifting slowly across their viewport and it was only a moment later that Viggota managed to disable the second gun.

Rian carefully uncurled her hands from the control yoke and stretched her aching fingers. The fight felt like it had only taken seconds but when she checked the chrono on her screen it had been almost twenty minutes. "Vig." Keeping her voice steady required a huge effort. "I need to go check on our guest. Let me know if the situation changes up here."

The big soldier nodded at her, eyes hard and angry. "Keep us apprised."

She unfastened her safety belt and stood from the chair. She made her way towards the stairs and then aft to the engine room, nearly shaking with fury. Lomning and Corso were standing beside and slightly behind Xirra, who was wide-eyed and terrified. Rian raked her eyes quickly over the young woman, noting the grease stains on her hands and one cheek, and the slightly scorched cuff of her threadbare shirt. The ragged end of her braid looked like she had been chewing on it again. Corso looked nervous but defiant, and Lomning was as calm and serene as ever.

"Captain," Lomning began, and she turned her angry gaze on him.. "Please, allow me to explain."

"It had better be good," she snapped. She wasn't in the mood to be placated.

"As you asked when the attack started, I met with Corso and we went to check on Miss Xirra." The young woman shrank in on herself further at the mention of her name, but Rian kept her eyes firmly on Lomning. "Corso could tell that there was a problem with the engines, but we lacked the knowledge to fix it."

"I knew what was wrong," Xirra burst out suddenly, much to Rian's surprise. "I could fix it. I told them to let me out so I could fix it."

"It's true, Captain," Lomning continued after a pause. "I could sense that she was being truthful, and she has been under our constant surveillance the whole time. And, as you can see," he waved a hand back towards the engine room. "She was successful."

"The two of you, please take our guest back to the cargo hold, then I want to see you both on the bridge," she said sternly. "We will be discussing this further." Corso opened his mouth to say something and she shot him a furious glare and shook her head. They weren't having this conversation in front of the girl.

Lomning gave the young man a look and waved for Xirra to precede him down the corridor towards the stairs. She went meekly, and Corso flung a last despairing glance at Rian before following.

Rian waited until she heard their footsteps on the stairs before darting into the engine room. Everything looked okay at first glance, though her tool chest was open in the middle of the floor and a few tools were scattered around it, looking like they had been hastily tossed aside while someone was searching for the correct one. She didn't see anything missing or damaged, but she would have a better look later. The engines were her first concern.

She didn't want to spend too much time looking them over, since Lomning and Corso would soon be on their way to the bridge, but her quick yet thorough check didn't turn up anything that looked amiss. She scowled slightly but had to admit that Xirra appeared to have known what she was doing.

Rian jogged back up the stairs to the upper ring corridor, the soft shoes she had been wearing to spar in nearly silent on the durasteel decking. She was quiet enough to startle Seetoo as she rounded the corridor outside the common room. "Seetoo!" she called as she caught sight of him, and he nearly stumbled as he jerked around to face her. "Get down to the engine room and check everything over. The tools too. I want a full report on any damage."

"Yes, Master, of course." The droid seemed anxious, arms flailing more than usual as he clanked past her.

Viggota was waiting in the doorway of the bridge when she rounded the last curve, looking concerned. "Everything okay?" he asked her. He had to nearly leap back out of the way as she didn't bother to slow her angry strides as she approached.

"Corso and Lomning should be here shortly," she said, settling back into her chair and checking her readouts. There were a handful of warning lights flashing on her console, but nothing that was going to kill them in the next few minutes. "We'll be having a discussion when they get here." She looked over at Jorgan, who was concentrating on his screens with fierce intensity. "Status report."

"No movement from the pirate ship," he said. "I'm not reading any life signs either."

That made her arch an eyebrow. Viggota and Jorgan had been shooting to disable, not destroy. "They might have some shielded compartments," she said, leaning over to look at her screens more closely. "I've got a couple of spots like that on my girl too. Keep an eye on it."

He grunted his assent just as Rian heard the sound of Corso's boots and Lomning's quieter footsteps outside. She turned her chair to face the door as they entered. Viggota ducked behind her to get back to his seat, letting her handle this for the moment.

Corso made as if to sit at the secondary console but Rian cleared her throat sternly before he could take more than a single step and he froze like a cornered sand rat. They could stand, until she decided if she liked what they had to say. "I'd like you two to explain yourselves," she said, voice icy.

Lomning tucked his hands behind his back but it was Corso, hands fisted on his hips and chin stuck out stubbornly, that spoke first. "I know you're not keen on Xirra, Captain, but you have to admit she sort of saved our bacon there."

"Since you weren't on the bridge where I had asked you to be, I don't think you're the best judge of what state our 'bacon' was in," she snapped. She saw his jaw clench tighter, but she liked that he didn't back down. "Besides, the outcome isn't the question here. The question is why you two saw fit to release an individual who has shown herself as a threat, and during a crisis at that."

"Because it was our best option!" Corso burst out. "I sure as stars couldn't have fixed that engine by myself, and I can't fly as good as you. Lomning said Xirra was telling the truth when she said she knew what was wrong, so we took a chance and it worked out."

Rian leaned back in her chair, studying him for long enough that he started to shift and fidget uncomfortably, but he kept his eyes on hers so she finally took pity on him and nodded him to his chair. Lomning slipped into his seat as well. "Just so you know, I'm not happy that you didn't clear this with me first," she said, leaning forward to make sure he was paying attention. "I'm glad it worked out, but next time, you check in with me before you make a decision like that."

She could hear Jorgan sputtering quietly behind her but he didn't interrupt. She swung her attention to Lomning. "And Jedi, you know I trust your judgement but I don't like that you made that choice on your own."

"And I take full responsibility for it, Captain," he said solemnly, bowing his head slightly so that his thick blue _lekku_ slid forward over his shoulders. "I am sorry we did not tell you about it first, but I felt that time was of the essence."

She leaned back in her chair again, surveying the two men in front of her. Corso looked like he wasn't sure what to think, and Lomning looked appropriately contrite. "All right," she said, pushing her anger away. The two of them were right - things had worked out for the best. But she still wanted them well aware that their actions weren't without consequences. "The two of you are under Seetoo's command for the rest of the trip. Anything he needs done, you'll do it, and no complaints." She pinned them both with a look until they each nodded. "Good." She swung her chair back around. Viggota and Jorgan looked a little shocked until Viggota recovered enough to give her an approving nod. "Jorgan, what have you got for me about that ship?"

The Cathar scrambled to turn back to his screens, looking a little embarrassed. "Ah... Still no life signs. She looks empty."

"I cannot sense anything either," Lomning said behind her, his voice dreamy as he stretched his senses out through the Force.

Rian tapped a finger thoughtfully against her bottom lip, eyeing the ship drifting against the blackness of space outside the viewport. It looked like one of their shots had sent it into a glacially slow spin and without engines - or a crew - there was no way to correct it. She weighed the potential difficulty of docking with it against the chance for some salvage. She did need the credits, not only to pay off what she owed Rogun for the incomplete delivery but also to pay her crew and keep the _Event Horizon_ flying. The pirates may not have anything of value on board but if they didn't check, they'd never know.

"We're going to board her," she finally said, glancing down at her screens to start working on the calculations for an approach vector. "I want everyone in full armour, just in case she's not as empty as she looks. "We'll see if she's got anything on board worth salvaging."

The announcement garnered a few raised eyebrows but no real objections. Corso was the first one off the bridge, probably grateful for the respite. Jorgan followed him but Viggota paused beside Rian's chair for a moment and leaned close. "I think you handled that well," he said quietly. Lomning politely pretended he couldn't hear them. "And he'll never admit it, but Jorgan thinks so too." Rian felt her cheeks heat from the praise as Viggota left the bridge and she bent quickly over her screens to hide it. She knew Lomning would know anyways, but she at least wanted to keep the illusion.

The approach vector to the pirate ship was a tricky one, and she let the navcomputer do most of the work. Once she was happy with the projected course she activated the autopilot, though her hands stayed close to the controls. Computers were good at this sort of thing but sometimes a personal touch was needed. As the _Event Horizon_ rotated to match spin with the pirate ship she lost sight of it through the viewport but she kept her eyes glued to her screens as the two ships inched slowly closer.

She could feel the shudder of the airlocks meeting and the thud of the clamps as the _Event Horizon_ locked on to the other ship. She flicked the navcomputer to standby mode and pushed herself to her feet. "Are you coming with us?" she asked Lomning, who was still seated at the auxiliary console behind her.

"I should stay here," he said. "Someone needs to keep an eye on Miss Xirra."

Rian nodded and clapped him on the shoulder. "Thanks. Yell for Seetoo if you need him - he's probably still in the engine room. And keep a comm line open."

"Aye, Captain," the Jedi said with a faint smile as Rian left the bridge.

Corso, Viggota, and Jorgan were waiting by the airlock by the time Rian got there. She had detoured past her quarters to shrug into her armoured jacket and swap the soft shoes she had worn to spar in for a proper pair of boots. Her blasters were clipped into place on her hips, just in case. "Lomning is staying to keep an eye on the ship, and our guest," she told them. "He'll have a comm line open while we're over there."

Viggota nodded and turned his attention to the rest of the group. "Jorgan, you're on point. Corso and I will cover the rear. Rian, what can we expect here? I've never seen a ship like this before."

"I'd be surprised if you had," she said, popping open one of the panels near the airlock and handing out emergency oxygen breathers to her crew. Her scans had shown that the life support systems were still functioning, but it was best not to take chances. "These sorts of ships are cobbled together from whatever they can find. It's likely to be a bit of a maze inside."

"Lots of spots for ambushes?" Jorgan asked, hooking the breather to his armour.

"Definitely," she replied, clipping her own breather to the collar of her armoured jacket so it would be in easy reach. "Hopefully it won't come to that but if it does there will be lots of cover for us too." She looked over at the three men. "Our priorities are food and medical supplies, and whatever cargo they may be carrying. Then we'll see what else we can find."

Rian let Jorgan thumb the airlock open even though her fingers itched to do it herself. She had put Viggota and Jorgan in charge of security and safety when they had come on board and she would let them do their jobs. The airlock of the pirate ship was sealed but Rian was able to coax it open after a few moments and then Jorgan led the way inside.

The lighting in the pirate ship was by turns harsh and over-bright and dim to the point of being hazardous, depending how the pieces had been put together to make the ship. The corridors would abruptly twist and turn, or end suddenly at dead-end bulkheads. It made maneuvering their way through the vessel tricky, and Rian made sure they didn't rush.

It was Corso who found the first body. He and Viggota were watching the rear, poking into the various compartments and hallways that they passed. This room seemed to be a makeshift medbay, and a scruffy-haired Human man had clearly bled out all over the floor thanks to a large piece of shrapnel imbedded in his stomach. Rian gagged a little at the smell but slipped into the room anyways to check it out. She tried to step around the worst pools of slowly-coagulating blood but she definitely would need to clean her boots when they got back to the _Event Horizon_.

The pirates hadn't had much in the way of medical supplies but every kolto pack helped and she got Viggota to help her crate everything up to take back to the _Event Horizon_. They left the crate just outside the door - which Rian closed behind her - and continued on.

It took them half an hour to find the bridge thanks to the unpredictability of the ship's layout. Heavy blast doors blocked their path and Rian pulled a scanner off her belt to check it out. "Vacuum," she said. "The hull must be breached."

"No wonder you couldn't find any life signs," Viggota told Jorgan. Either one of their shots or one of the explosions must have damaged the hull. Rian hadn't even noticed it during the heat of the battle.

"A ship this size probably doesn't need much of a crew," Rian said, putting away her scanner. "Keep your eyes open anyways, just in case. I assume they were planning to board us once they'd disabled us, so they'd need a few extra guns for that."

Another half hour turned up the remains of another body in the engine room, which had suffered heavy damage, and a cargo hold with crates stacked in haphazard piles. The different sizes and shapes told the story that these were likely stolen cargos from other ships that hadn't been as lucky as the _Event Horizon_.

"We'll get these back to the ship and check the codes on them," she said. "We may be able to complete delivery on some of them."

"What do you mean?" Jorgan asked. He was standing in the doorway with his back to the room, covering their exit even though Rian strongly suspected that the scans were right and there was no one left alive on board.

"If we can determine where the cargoes came from, we can possibly make a new contract to complete the delivery," she said. "It's probably safe to assume that whoever was supposed to deliver them in the first place didn't make it. Pirates don't tend to leave live crews after they've taken their cargo."

"That's allowed?" Viggota asked. "Whoever sent them won't just demand them back?"

"It depends on the situation," Rian replied, squeezing between one of the stacks and the wall. The cargo hold was oddly-shaped, even for this patchwork ship, and she suspected that someone had created a hidden space back there. "Either way, most places will pay to have the delivery completed, or they'll pay a reward for the return of their goods." She flashed a grin back over her shoulder at Viggota, voice teasing. "Or we can just sell everything on the black market for a profit."

The big soldier laughed, craning his neck to see what she was doing. Corso was on the other side of the cargo hold, peering at the labels of some of the crates. She leaned close to the back wall and tapped it. Definitely not a solid bulkhead, but she couldn't see any openings at first. It took her a few minutes to figure it out, but then she managed to find the hidden catch and a part of the wall slid up and back out of the way. She whooped with glee and peered in through the opening.

"What did you find?" Corso asked. She could hear the heavy sound of his boots approaching but she wasn't sure he could fit through the narrow gap between the crates and the wall, especially not in his full armour.

"Secret stash," she said. "I'm sure not everything in here is completely legal," she warned. There weren't any lights behind the fake bulkhead so she unclipped a hand lamp from the back of her belt and shone it around the space. There were a few smaller crates hidden back here, and a weapons rack. "Oh Jorgan," she breathed, catching a glimpse of a long and deadly barrel racked alongside the shorter shapes of blaster rifles. "You are going to _love_ this."

She did one last quick check of the entrance to make sure there weren't any tripwires or other unpleasant surprises waiting to catch the unwary, then stepped into the narrow space. The lid of one of the crates was loose and she lifted it to peer inside. It was full of small, dark amber bottles about the length of her hand - some sort of alcohol, she guessed, though none of them seemed to be labelled. She stepped around a couple more crates to reach the weapons rack and carefully lifted the sniper rifle down with her free hand. She didn't know much about rifles, preferring her more compact blaster pistols, but she could tell a well-made weapon when she saw one.

"Jorgan!" she called, making her way back out into the main cargo hold. "I found you a present!"

The Cathar's look of surprise morphed into one of shock when he turned to see what she had found. Viggota and Corso looked equally stunned. "That's an E-110 Watchman!" Corso breathed.

Rian shrugged. "I don't know much about sniper rifles, but I assume by the looks on your faces that this is a good one."

Jorgan looked torn between maintaining his post and checking out his new toy, so Viggota took pity on him and went to watch the door in his stead. Rian handed over the rifle and the Cathar took it almost reverently. Beside him, Corso looked a little bit jealous. "This is an excellent one," Jorgan rumbled. "I wonder how these pirates ended up with it."

"They probably killed someone for it," Rian said, sitting down on the stack of crates behind her to watch Jorgan and Corso examine the gun. The two of them were so distracted by the rifle that they barely seemed to notice her comment.

She took the opportunity to tap the communicator in her ear and call over to Lomning. "Just checking in, Jedi. Everything's going smoothly here. How's my ship?"

"Everything is well here," he replied. "I have been monitoring our guest as well, and she has not caused any further problems. If I were to guess, I would say she might be pouting."

Rian chuckled. The girl was definitely still young enough to pout when things didn't go her way. "We've found some supplies and cargo that will need to be transferred over. No signs of life yet."

"I don't think you will find any," Lomning said quietly. "I was distracted, during the battle, but I definitely sensed violent deaths from that ship." There was a short silence before Lomning continued, determinedly cheerful. "Seetoo has also reported back that he has not found anything amiss in the engine room, and that all of your tools are accounted for but that several of them will need a good cleaning, or some minor repairs."

"Thanks," she said, letting him change the subject. "Have him make a list. Corso can attend to that when we get underway again."

"Aye, Captain," Lomning said, quiet amusement in his voice. "Do you know how much longer you might be?"

"Not yet. We've still got a good chunk of the ship left to survey, and a lot of cargo to move. I'll probably get you and Seetoo to help us with that once we're sure it's safe over here."

Lomning made a noise of assent and she ended the call but left the channel open if the Jedi needed to contact her again. Jorgan and Corso seemed to be done with their examination of the sniper rifle, though Jorgan was still running careful hands over the weapon.

"Everyone ready to get moving again?" she asked them and Jorgan lowered the gun reluctantly.

"I should leave this here," he said, though she could tell he didn't want to. "It should be serviced before it's fired, and this ship is too much of a maze to use it effectively here anyways."

"I can put it back there," Rian said, hooking a thumb over her shoulder at the secret compartment. "There's a whole weapons rack back there that we can take a look at later."

Corso's eyes lit up as Jorgan handed the rifle carefully back to Rian. "Did you see what else was back there, Captain?" the young man asked.

"I didn't get a good look," she told him. "It's dark back there. But we can look once we've got all the crates cleared out." She squeezed her way back to the hidden compartment and set the sniper rifle carefully back into the rack. She closed the hatch behind her on her way out and rejoined her crew. "Let's keep moving."

There wasn't much of interest in the rest of the ship. Rian was a little disappointed that she couldn't get to the navcomputer on the bridge. She would have liked to have gotten the ship's records and navigational data. But there was more than enough cargo here to make her very happy.

Even with everyone helping out it still took a couple of hours to move the pirates' cargo over to the _Event Horizon_. Rian kept herself busy between carrying crates, directing the others in keeping them organized based on their shipping codes, and checking over her ship. There were still a couple of warning lights blinking on the bridge that needed to be investigated before they could get underway again and she pulled Seetoo away from transferring the cargo to work on the most urgent of them.

"I think it is time for a break, Captain," Lomning said at last, wiping a hand across his brow. They were all stripped down to their shirtsleeves from the hot, heavy work of moving the crates off the pirate ship. "We should eat, and rest."

Rian glanced back into the pirates' cargo hold and nodded. "Go start dinner. We'll finish up here. It shouldn't take much longer."

Corso groaned with relief. "I'm more than ready to eat," he said, crouching to lift another crate with Lomning's help. "I didn't think this job would involve so much heavy lifting!"

She chuckled, tucking one of his dreadlocks back behind his ear. His dark locks kept coming loose from their tie and hanging in his face. "But just think of all the exercise you're getting!" Corso rolled his eyes at her and hefted the crate higher before heading back along the circuitous route to the airlock. Rian had marked it out with arrows drawn on the walls, since it was so easy to get lost in the maze that the pirates had called a ship.

She could hear Lomning and Corso greet Viggota and Jorgan in the corridor outside. Most of the crates had already been shifted over to the _Event Horizon_ , and the entrance to the secret compartment was nearly clear. Only a half-dozen more crates needed to be moved so that they would have easy access to the pirates' hidden stash.

"Lomning is going to start dinner," she told the two soldiers when they made it back to the cargo hold. "We'll eat as soon as we've got this cleared out."

"Good," Viggota said, surveying the small pile that remained. "I'm starving!" Jorgan rumbled his agreement, reaching for one of the larger crates. Viggota took the other end and Rian grabbed a smaller one to follow them out.

It took them a few more trips to get the last of the crates and then all that was left was the hidden compartment. There wasn't too much in there and Rian resisted peeking into each crate so they could get everything moved faster, but she resolved to have a look as soon as she could. She had her crew move most of it to the smaller cargo hold on the upper ring, next to the one that was currently serving as Xirra's quarters, though the weapons went straight down to the weapons locker to be looked at later. She had spotted a nice little blaster pistol that she wanted a closer look at and Corso had made completely unsubtle grabby hands at one of the rifles like a toddler reaching for a treat, which had made Viggota laugh and hand it over.

"It's all yours, Corso," he said. They hadn't found any assault cannons on the ship but he and Jorgan were happy with the ones General Garza had allowed them to keep when she and the SIS had conspired to dismantle Havoc Squad and place Viggota and Jorgan on Rian's ship as "independent contractors".

Lomning had cooked up some of the frozen ronto steaks that Rian had bought on Corellia, and dinner was a surprisingly cheerful affair considering everything that had happened that day. Corso hurried through his meal to take a plate down to Xirra, and Rian let him even when Viggota arched an eyebrow at her. She just shook her head at him and let Lomning's story catch her attention again. She would need to talk to Corso about what Lomning had learned from the girl, but Xirra had helped them out today and Rian wouldn't begrudge the girl a small piece of the celebration.

It was a weary crew on the bridge after dinner, full of good food and muscles aching a bit from the heavy work of transferring the pirates' cargo to the _Event Horizon_. Corso was still down with Xirra and Lomning had excused himself to help Seetoo clean up the kitchen so it was just Rian and the two soldiers. She settled into her chair and unclamped the _Event Horizon_ from the pirate ship. Gentle pulses from the sublight engines pushed them away from the derelict ship and Rian looked out the viewport at it one last time before rotating her ship back onto the right vector to make the jump to Allanteen Six. They'd have to get a bit further away from the gravity well of the asteroid the pirates had used to drop them out of hyperspace - and that reminded her that she'd need to send a warning about the obstruction through to the Republic Spacelane Bureau for them to disseminate the information so no other ships would get caught by it until they were able to get the asteroid moved out of the hyperspace lane - but the asteroid was small enough that a few minutes at sublight should do it.

"Thanks for your hard work today," she said to Viggota and Jorgan, who were back in the gunner's seats ahead of her. "You guys did good." She kept her eyes on her own screens, composing a note about the asteroid while the navcomputer slowly worked to get the ship back on course for the jump to hyperspace. She heard Jorgan make a contented noise that was nearly a purr and bit her lip to keep from grinning. She'd never seen the Cathar so relaxed.

"We were glad to help out," Viggota said. He was reclined in his chair, eyes half-closed as he watched the stars through the viewport. "It was certainly a different experience. I've never done anything like that before."

"Hopefully it was worth it," Rian replied, just as the computer beeped its readiness. The new hyperspace route was plotted and she keyed in her acceptance. Below and aft of them, she could hear the whine of the engines change pitch and then the _Event Horizon_ jumped to lightspeed.


	6. Chapter 6

The moment Rian found herself making excuses to avoid talking to Corso and Xirra she forced herself to go and do it. She hadn't gotten to where she was by putting off jobs she didn't want to do. She left Viggota and Jorgan on the bridge and detoured to pick up Lomning from the kitchen, where he appeared to be trying to teach Seetoo how to sing. She winced a little at the droid's attempts at a melody and stuck her head around the corner. "Hey Jedi, will you come mediate? I need to talk to Corso and Xirra."

"Of course," Lomning said with a smile. He handed the plate he was cleaning to Seetoo, and the droid turned back to the sonic scrubber, warbling off-key.

"I'm not sure anyone on board will thank you for encouraging him to sing," she told Lomning as they made their way back around the corridor to the cargo holds.

"Possibly not," he agreed. "But he is enjoying himself, and I enjoy teaching."

Rian just shook her head, rapping her knuckles firmly on the cargo bay door before keying the unlock code. Corso and Xirra were seated opposite each other on the floor in the middle of the room, Xirra's empty plate beside her. Her makeshift bed was tucked tidily into one corner. Xirra jumped up in surprise to see Rian, pale skin flushing red across her cheeks. Corso scrambled to his feet too, and Rian was unsurprised to see that he positioned himself slightly between her and Xirra.

"At ease, Riggs," she said, stopping in the doorway. "We're just here to talk." Corso moved sheepishly aside, nearly stepping on Xirra's plate, and Rian shifted her attention to the girl. "So. You know engines, do you?"

"Um... Yeah, a little bit." Xirra's voice was so low that Rian could hardly hear it. The girl's hand crept up to toy with the ragged end of her braid again. She still had grease stains on her hands and face.

"Where'd you learn?" She leaned one shoulder against the doorway, trying to get the girl to relax a bit.

"Here and there," Xirra muttered, looking down at the toes of her scuffed boots.

"Look, you're not in trouble," Rian said impatiently. "You did a good job today, and we all appreciate it."

Xirra jerked her head up in surprise. "Really? Corso said you were mad."

"And I was," Rian said, crossing her arms and flicking her eyes to Corso and then Lomning. "I don't take kindly to my crew making decisions like that without consulting me first. But that doesn't change the fact that you did a blasted good job with my engines in a really tight spot."

Xirra blushed again, eyes dropping back down to the ground. "I like engines," she said softly. "They just make sense to me."

"Did you take any courses?"

The girl nodded, flicking a quick glance up at Rian. "I won't tell you where I'm from, if that's what you're asking. I'm not going back."

"And I'm not going to go out of my way to take you anywhere," Rian said. "Besides, that wasn't what I asked. I just want to know what kind of training you have before I let you work on my ship again."

Corso's jaw dropped and Xirra seemed lost for words. "I... Wait, what?" she stammered.

Rian dropped her arms to her sides with a sigh. "You came after me with a gun, looking to collect a bounty. My crew and I are of a pretty firm mind that we can't just let you off at the next port, in case you try it again, or point someone else in my direction. So we're stuck with you for the next little while. Lomning tells me that he doesn't think you're a threat, so I'm thinking you might as well earn your keep while you're here, and I bet it's getting pretty boring being stuck in here." Xirra nodded emphatically at that, and Rian smiled. "So, I'm putting you to work. You'll be under guard at all times," she warned the girl, who shrank back slightly but nodded her understanding. "And this is still your quarters. Once we know for sure if we can trust you, we can look into other accommodations. Or once we've got this bounty settled, you can disembark. But for the time being, you can make yourself useful, if you can follow orders. Understood?"

Xirra swallowed hard but clenched her fists and nodded. "Understood, Captain." She hesitated, chewing on her bottom lip. "Look... I'm really sorry, about what happened on Denon. I made a dumb choice, and I sure don't deserve the chance you're giving me. But Corso and Lomning both said you're a good person, and I want to prove to you that you're not making a mistake," she finished fiercely and Rian found herself smiling for real.

"Fair enough. But one last rule - no more lying to us. Lomning got a bit of a different story from you than the one you fed Corso. I don't care where you're from, or why you left, but I don't want you lying to my crew about it. If you can't or don't want to tell us, just say so instead of making something up, all right?"

Corso frowned and Rian remembered that in all the excitement she hadn't had a chance yet to tell him what Lomning had learned. She'd have to do that soon. But in the meantime, she was watching Xirra, who had blushed bright red to the tips of her ears. It was possible she didn't even realize what exactly she had revealed to Lomning. "All right," she said, voice quiet.

"Then we've got a deal," she said, stepping forward and offering her hand. Xirra tried unsuccessfully to wipe the grease off before she tentatively accepted the handshake. Rian clasped back firmly, not caring about a little engine grease. "First, let's get you cleaned up. And then I think everyone's about ready for bed. Tomorrow's early enough to get to work." And Rian was also pretty sure there might be a loud argument tonight with Jorgan and possibly Viggota about her decision that she didn't want Xirra overhearing.

Rian escorted Xirra to her own quarters and let the girl use the sonic shower while she tried to find her something to wear. Most of her clothes would be far too big for Xirra's scrawny frame, but she managed to find a couple of pairs of drawstring pants, soft with wear, and some shirts that hopefully wouldn't be too loose. If they were going to keep her on board past Allanteen Six, they'd have to find some clothes that would actually fit her. Trailing fabric and mechanical work didn't generally mix well.

With Xirra clean and back in the cargo hold for the night, Rian poked her head into the common room looking for her crew. They were all sprawled across the various pieces of furniture, looking tired. Maybe not the best time for this conversation, but better to get it out of the way. She cleared her throat as she entered the room. "I've got an announcement, and it'll probably be unpopular," she warned. Jorgan was already scowling. "We can't let Xirra off at the next port," she said. "We've already discussed it. So I'm going to give her a bit more freedom than she's had, based on her work today and Lomning's assessment. She'll be helping out with some of the mechanical work around the ship." Jorgan bolted upright in his chair and Rian held up a hand quickly. "She'll be under supervision at all times, and at the first sign that something's not right, she's back in the cargo hold until we can re-evaluate the situation. She's not allowed on the bridge, the other cargo holds, or the personal quarters, and the weapons locker will be secured at all times." She dropped her hand and turned expectantly to Jorgan.

"Captain," the Cathar growled. "I think you already know that I don't agree with this decision."

"I could tell," she said dryly. "What are your objections?"

"The obvious," he replied. "I don't know if we can trust her."

"I agree," Viggota said. "I know she helped us today, and Lomning vouched for her, but that doesn't change the fact that we don't know anything about her."

Corso looked like he wanted to leap to Xirra's defense but Rian was pleased to see that he held his peace for the moment. "That's all true," Rian said, pulling one of the chairs out from the table to sit backwards on it, arms crossed on the backrest. "But by the same token, she helped when she didn't need to, and Lomning vouched for her. His judgement is pretty good. But I'm not giving her free run of the ship, and she'll be under guard the whole time. I trust all of you to help keep an eye on her." Jorgan shifted uncomfortably, looking like he had something more to say but wasn't sure he should. "What is it, Jorgan?"

The Cathar winced. "I'm not saying this to start a fight, but... are you sure it's a good idea to have Corso watching her? No offense, Riggs," he added hastily. "You're a good man in a fight and I trust you to have my back. But you've gotten pretty close to the girl."

"It's a legitimate concern," Rian said before Corso could say anything. "Ideally, I'd like two sets of eyes on her at all times. Seetoo and I managed to get the worst of the damage repaired before we jumped to hyperspace so there shouldn't be too much to do before we get to Allanteen Six. We can work out some sort of roster, if you'd like."

Corso looked hurt but eventually nodded. "I guess I understand. I know you think I'm soft on her because she's a woman, but I'm not going to let her put us in danger."

"Could you shoot her, if you needed to?" Viggota asked bluntly. Corso dropped his gaze, which was answer enough. "I agree with Rian. No one should be watching her alone."

"I've gotten a promise from her that she won't lie to us any more. So if she says she doesn't want to talk about something, I need you all to respect that and not push her. All agreed?" Rian asked, looking at each of her crew in turn until they nodded. "Good. We'll start tomorrow. Get some sleep, everyone. It's been a long day."

Rian held Corso back with a look while the others made their way out of the common room. He was studying his hands pretty intently once the last of the footsteps had faded away, and she stretched her leg out to knock her foot against his to get him to look at her.

"You guys talked about a bunch of stuff without me, didn't you?" he asked, sounding a little hurt.

"We did," she admitted. "And we were going to tell you about it after you woke up, but things got a little crazy. So I apologize for that. I wasn't trying to leave you out of anything."

"I know," he sighed, leaning his head back against the couch cushions. "What did Lomning find out?"

"He thinks the story about the arranged marriage is all fake," she said bluntly. "He thinks she comes from an abusive home and ran away figuring that it would be better somewhere else. He said she seemed keen on having an adventure, but I think she didn't much like it once she was out here. But she didn't have anything to go back to."

Corso tugged absently at his lower lip as he thought. "I can ask her, later. See if she'll tell me anything else."

"You can if you'd like. But you need to respect her if she doesn't want to talk about it, just like everyone else. If she decides she's ready, she'll tell you."

The young man nodded, looking up to meet Rian's eyes. "I appreciate you taking the time to tell me."

"You're my first mate," she reminded him. "You need to know everything that's going on here too. You'd have known sooner, if we hadn't been attacked by those blasted pirates." She rolled her head on her neck, feeling her muscles protesting the abuse she had put them through that day. "We talked about it a bit, after Lomning told us. Vig and Jorgan didn't like the idea of leaving her at Allanteen Six. They seemed concerned she might come after us again, or point someone else at us. I doubt she would have," she said, and Corso nodded his agreement. "But they do have a valid point. So we'll keep her around a bit longer, and get some work out of her in the meantime."

Corso shook his head but he was smiling. "You accuse me of being soft on women, Captain, but you're just as soft-hearted as I am sometimes. You know she's in trouble, and want to help."

Rian rolled her eyes. "You're over-tired, Riggs. Go to bed." She stood and helped him up, giving his shoulder a gentle smack. "Good night, Farm Boy."

"Night, Captain," he said, going good-naturedly when she pretended to push him out the door. She stood to watch him go, then made her way to her own quarters. He was right, at least a bit. Xirra definitely needed help to get back on her feet, and Rian didn't deny that she felt at least some sympathy for the girl. She had gotten help back when she had needed it the most, and it felt good to be able to pass that along.

*****

Over the next three days, Rian spent most of her time in the cargo hold checking the codes on her newfound cargo and trying to get in contact with whoever had shipped them out. She had managed to locate almost all the original owners and had secured contracts to complete the deliveries. Most of the delivery points were along the Corellian Run so they wouldn't be too far out of their way. There were a few crates whose codes were too badly damaged to read, and a few companies that she hadn't been able to get in contact with. Her usual mode of operation in that case would be to sell the contents herself, but she wasn't sure how her crew would react to that since it was technically theft. But it wasn't like she was able to return them to their original owners.

The crates in the small cargo hold had been much more interesting, and potentially divisive. In addition to the crate full of unlabelled bottles of alcohol she had found several crates full of the small, distinctive vials and packets of spice. One of the crates was filled with weak, nearly-harmless ryll, a mild euphoric that was popular among the club kids of Nar Shaddaa but could also be used for medicinal purposes, but the rest held harder stuff - glitterstim, yarrock, and sweetblossom - drugs that Rian was all too familiar with.

Sweetblossom in particular had been a popular drug among the slave owners whose brothels Rian had eventually escaped from. Its narcotic effects made the slaves more pliable and docile, while still keeping them completely aware of their environment. Very few people wanted a completely comatose slave girl. Yarrock was a strong hallucinogen that had been sometimes used to keep the slaves in line. It was highly addictive, and the slave owners were naturally the only distributors the slaves had access to. Rian thankfully hadn't been exposed to it herself, but she had known slaves who had willingly stayed with their masters without the use of slave collars just so they could guarantee their next fix.

Glitterstim was the only one she knew from her smuggling days, rather than her slave ones. It gave the user a brief telepathic boost, and wasn't exactly something that brothel owners were willing to give to their slaves. No one wanted a slave to be privy to someone's thoughts. It was another highly addictive one, and a drug that eventually deteriorated the nerves in the user's brain. Rian had seen end-stage addicts before, half blind, twitching, and paranoid, and it didn't seem like a pleasant end.

The last crate was one she had hesitated to open as soon as she had caught sight of the Rylothian stamp on it. There was only one reason why a crate from Ryloth would have been hidden behind a false bulkhead rather than in the cargo hold with the other crates. She finally forced herself to open it and found exactly what she had feared. Stacked neatly inside were dozens of slave collars.

She hastily dropped the lid and clicked the latches closed again, then wiped her fingers on her pants. Her hands were shaking. Even after all these years she hadn't gotten over the feeling of wearing a slave collar and she quickly reached up to rub at the back of her neck to remind herself that it was gone, long gone, and that she was free.

"Everything all right?" asked a voice from the doorway and she spun to see Viggota standing there. She hoped he hadn't been there very long.

"Yeah," she replied, dropping her hand quickly. "Everything's fine."

He gave her a look that clearly said that he didn't believe her but he didn't push. "Find anything interesting?"

She looked down at the crate by her feet and shook her head. "Mostly stuff I won't have anything to do with. Glitterstim, yarrock, sweetblossom. I'll destroy it before we reach Allanteen Six. I won't take the chance that anyone else will get their hands on it."

Viggota raised an eyebrow. "Really? That stuff's expensive. I thought you said you needed credits."

"Never that badly," she said, shoving the crate of slave collars away with her foot. "Some things just aren't worth it."

"That's an unusual attitude for a smuggler," came Jorgan's voice from behind Viggota. "Not that I don't share it," he added, peering around Viggota's broad shoulder. "Why won't you sell them?"

Rian realized she was rubbing absently at her fingertips and dropped her hands to her sides. "Because I've seen firsthand what those drugs do to people. They're illegal for a reason. I won't be a part of it."

The Cathar made a noise that she couldn't interpret but that she thought might be approving and ducked away again. She shared a raised brow with Viggota and he shook his head. "He's trying," the big young Human said. "He's getting better."

"I've noticed," she said, turning her back on the crate of slave collars. "He hasn't snapped at me in a whole day!"

Viggota laughed and stepped into the cargo hold to join her. "You said it's mostly drugs. What else did you find?"

"Some ryll," she said, lifting the lid to show him the neat row of vials, then pointed to the box filled with the small amber bottles. "I assume that crate has some kind of alcohol it in, but it's not labelled, meaning it's either bootleg, or something really valuable."

"Aren't those just more drugs?" Viggota asked, picking up one of the vials and holding it up to the light.

"True, but ryll can be used to manufacture medicines. And alcohol's a legal drug."

Viggota laughed, putting the vial back in the crate and letting Rian click the lid back into place. "What are you going to do with it?"

She shrugged, looking over the crates. "Talk to everyone else about it," she said. "I promised you guys a say in this sort of stuff."

"Well, Lomning sent me to collect everyone for lunch, so we can talk about it now if you'd like."

"Where's Xirra?" Rian asked, dusting off her hands and following Viggota out of the cargo hold.

"Back in her quarters," Viggota replied. "I wasn't sure if she was approved for group meals yet."

Rian shrugged. "I don't necessarily have a problem with it, but it's just as well right now. She's not part of the crew yet. She doesn't need to know what we have on board."

Everyone else was already in the common room when Rian and Viggota walked in, including Seetoo, who was helping Lomning carry trays of food over to the table. Rian sat down next to Corso. The seat at the head of the table seemed to have become hers by default. She had noticed that no one else would sit in it for the communal meals.

"How's your work going?" Corso asked as he started filling his plate. Lomning had made spicy nerf sausages and a mixed salad. Fresh greens were usually a little dicey coming from the food synthesizers, but Lomning had somehow managed to coax them into creating a salad that was actually crisp instead of limp. Rian was sure it was a Jedi trick.

"Good," she replied to Corso, spearing a bite of her salad. "I've got contracts in place to complete the delivery on most of the cargo we found. It's all along the Corellian Run, so it won't be too far out of our way. But I'd like to talk to you guys about the rest of the stuff."

"What stuff?" Corso asked around a mouthful of sausage. Lomning shook his head despairingly but didn't say anything.

"I wasn't able to find owners for some of the shipments," she said. "Usually, I'd sell it off myself - I know a few brokers I can deal with - but I wanted to know what you guys thought of that."

Corso shrugged and swallowed his mouthful before answering. "I don't have a problem with it. I mean... you can't find the owners or where they were supposed to have been delivered. There's no sense in just hanging on to it, right?"

Lomning spread his hands. "I also have no issues. You have made every effort to identify the proper owners, which is more than what is required under Republic salvage laws. If you can find a buyer, I have no objections to you selling the goods to someone who is interested."

Jorgan was looking a little sour, but Lomning's words seemed to settle him. "I guess that's all right."

"What else do you suggest?" Viggota asked him.

"It seems a little unethical," the Cathar said, stabbing his fork into his sausage. "But I guess if you can't find the owners, it's better than letting them gather dust somewhere."

Viggota nodded. "I'm all right with it too." He gave her a look. "What about the rest of it?"

"The rest of what?" Jorgan asked, looking up sharply.

"The stuff we found in the hidden compartment," Rian clarified. She set down her cutlery and propped her elbows on the edge of the table. "Most of it is drugs," she said. "Hard stuff - glitterstim, yarrock, and sweetblossom. I won't sell it. It's being destroyed, and that's something I won't accept any arguments against." She gave her crew a hard look, but they were all nodding in agreement. "There's also a crate of slave collars. They'll be destroyed as well."

"What?" Corso yelped, looking a bit ill. "I'm almost glad we killed those sand rats," he muttered.

"Agreed," Jorgan said, face hard and angry. "Anyone who deals in slaves or any of that garbage doesn't deserve to live."

Rian felt herself relax a bit. It wasn't that she had thought that any of her crew would disagree with her decision, but it was nice to have it confirmed. "There are a couple of other things. There's a crate of Ryll, which I'm sure we can find a buyer for on New Cov. They're one of the biggest bio-manufacturers in the sector," she explained, seeing looks of confusion around the table. "Ryll is used in a lot of medicines."

"I thought it was a drug," Corso said, tipping his head to the side.

"It is," Rian replied. "But what do you think medicines are?" She grinned at the look on his face. "Yes, ryll can be refined into an addictive substance, but what we found is the unrefined stuff. It's really valuable in the manufacture of medicines that are used throughout the galaxy."

"But how can you know it's going to someone who's going to use it for medicine?" Jorgan asked, leaning forward.

"Like I said," she replied, "I mostly deal with brokers. Stuff like this, I'll only deal with people I know and trust. I'm not going to just unload it on the first person that meets my price. These people are all registered with the Republic and officially sanctioned. I'm not concerned that the ryll might find its way into the wrong hands."

"All right," the Cathar replied, satisfied. He leaned back and finished off the last of his meal. "Did you find anything else?"

"Some unmarked bottles of what I think are alcohol," she said. "I'm not quite sure what they are, or whether they're bootleg or legit. I'll need to have them scanned to see if they're even worth selling." She looked over at Viggota, Jorgan, and Corso. "What about those weapons?"

"Most of them are junk," Corso said dismissively before either of the others could speak up. "There are a couple of nice ones, though. Jorgan's Watchman, and that little pistol you were asking about it a really sweet piece."

"And your baby?" she teased. Corso had been dividing his time pretty evenly between watching Xirra and cleaning and servicing the blaster rifle he had coveted. He had named it Torchy, to the amusement of the rest of the crew. Rian had noticed that he seemed to like naming his gear.

He blushed a little and waved a hand at her. "Yes, and that one. The others are all right, and they're in decent shape, but none of them are really worth all that much."

"Well, decide if you think we should keep any on board as backups, and we'll sell the rest. Credits are credits, and I'm not just going to give them away."

"Aye, Captain," he said with a grin, then turned back to his meal.

Rian leaned back in her chair, letting her crew change the subject. She was surprised at how smoothly that had gone. She had expected more dissention on the subject of some of the questionable legal items they had found, but she wasn't going to look a gift ronto in the mouth. If they were okay with the way she was handling this, she wasn't going to change her methods.


	7. Chapter 7

They didn't linger long on Allanteen Six. Rian hadn't been able to pick up any new jobs right away and she didn't want to hang around, paying docking fees and attracting possible bounty hunters. She had offloaded her cargo of computer chips, and one of the cargos they had found on the pirate ship, but had barely stayed long enough to refuel, resupply the kitchen stores, and buy a few changes of clothes for Xirra before launching again. She hated leaving without a full hold, but staying any longer than necessary was tempting fate.

Alone on the bridge late in the ship's evening, she flicked through her screens to check the balance of credits in her account. They were on their way to New Cov, where she should be able to sell the ryll they had found and hopefully pick up a new job or two. With this bounty on her, she knew it would be smarter to get off the Corellian Run and onto some less-travelled spacelanes before any more hunters caught up to her. While it was true that there were generally more bounty hunters in the Outer Rim, spaceports there were also more lax about requiring identification than the Core Worlds, meaning it was easier to stay anonymous there.

It had taken some digging over the past few days, but she had managed to find a holofrequency for Rogun. She wasn't quite sure what to expect from him, but she hoped she had enough credits set aside to at least show the man that she was working in good faith to repay him. She had learned in her research that his title of "The Butcher" was well-deserved. He had a zero-tolerance policy for failure and had left a trail of bodies across the galaxy. She hoped that by being proactive that she might be able to convince him that he didn't need to keep gunning for her. She glanced at the chrono and stood quietly to thumb the panel that locked the door to the bridge. The rest of her crew was likely to be asleep at this hour, but this still wasn't a conversation that needed any other participants. She certainly didn't want a man who called himself "The Butcher" to get a good look at any of her crew.

When she keyed in Rogun's holofrequency she expected to be shunted through some sort of secretary but was surprised when the man himself answered. He was a Chagrian, with pale violet skin that was tinted blue by the light of the holo and the distinctive tall ruddy brown horns of the males of his race. A pair of _lekku_ -like protrusions grew from the sides of his head to drape forward over his shoulders but they were thicker than Rian's or even Lomning's _lekku_ , lumpy and bulging in the middle before tapering sharply to a smooth, slender shape the same colour as his horns and about as long as Rian's forearm. He was dressed casually, from what she could see of him in the holo image, and she hoped she hadn't caught him on his way to bed.

"Rogun," she started, noting that he looked surprised to see her. "I'm Captain Tsel'rianeen of the _Event Horizon_. I was contracted to deliver some blasters to Viidu on Ord Mantell."

"Captain," he drawled slowly. His voice was low and deep. "I remember."

She straightened her spine, ignoring how sharply his black eyes were watching her. "You've got a bounty out on me. I'd like to make arrangements to repay you for the incomplete delivery and get it removed."

"I haven't got any bounties out right now," he said slowly, tilting his head slightly to one side.

Rian blinked in confusion. "Well, I've already dealt with one bounty hunter saying she's trying to collect on your bounty, so one of us must be mistaken."

"I'm sure you're not accusing me of lying, Captain..." Rogun said, voice thick with the implication of danger.

"Oh of course not," she replied icily. "I'm sure this is just all a hilarious misunderstanding."

"Captain," the Chagrian said, leaning forward slightly. "I assure you, I have not put a bounty out on you for your failure to deliver the blasters. I am pleased to see that you have reached out to me of your own accord to attempt to make things right. Why don't we discuss reparations and then I can speak to my people to discover who has been using my name without my permission?"

Rian felt her blood run cold at Rogun's words, everything suddenly clicking into place. "I suspect I might know who's behind this," she said, watching Rogun's eyebrows lift in curiosity. "You might want to start looking into a man named Skavak."

"Ah." Rogun sat back in his chair again, looking like he had eaten something sour. "I am familiar with Skavak, and while it would not surprise me to know he had done something that foolish I would be very disappointed in him." He waved a hand as if erasing something in midair. "Don't worry about the bounty, Captain. I will have my people handle the investigation and any necessary... corrections. All you need to worry about is repayment of your debt."

Rian squared her shoulders. "I've currently got the funds to cover the up-front cost that was paid to me initially," she said. "I hope we can work out a repayment schedule that will be fair to both of us."

Rogun crossed his arms over his chest. He wasn't as big as Viggota, but he certainly had some muscles. Rian nearly giggled at the thought of him trying to use his strength to intimidate her through the holo. She wasn't the sort to let muscles dictate how she reacted to a situation in person. She was used to being the smaller one with most of her contacts. She was long past being intimidated by muscles. "I am sure you think that," Rogun said at last. "I, on the other hand, am not so inclined to forgive failure."

"So you're saying you don't actually want these credits, then? You want to pay a bounty hunter to track me down instead, and possibly not get anything out of the deal other than showing everyone what kind of person you are when you're crossed?" She leaned back in her chair and looked him squarely in the eyes.

Rogun looked a little nonplussed. "Do you really think I need your paltry few credits?" he asked. "And what is more important than teaching others a lesson?"

"Well first off, I said _want_ , not _need_ ," Rian replied, crossing one leg over the other. She knew she was faking her calm a bit, but the fact that Rogun hadn't laughed and disconnected meant he was at least open to the idea of negotiating. "If you don't get any repayment from me, it means you've lost credits on the deal, and I don't know many businessmen that like it when that happens." She shrugged casually. "And as for teaching lessons, you have a pretty fearsome reputation already. I'm actually surprised anyone is willing to do business with you any more."

The Chagrian scowled blackly at her. "I think you'll find plenty of people who will do business with me. I am generous to those that don't fail me."

She shrugged again, leaning forward like she was getting ready to close the connection. "Then I guess we can't make a deal. I'll keep the credits, and you can try to track me down."

"Captain," Rogun said, uncrossing his arms and leaning forward. "How does it look to others if I do not exact revenge upon you for your failure?"

Rian rolled her eyes. "First, your reputation isn't my concern here - mine is. I've never run out on a contract. I've always made good on delivery, or made reparations if delivery wasn't possible. So I'm trying to mend my reputation here, not yours. Second, how does it look to others if you kill everyone you deal with? Because everyone's going to screw up sooner or later. No one's perfect, Rogun."

Rogun leaned back again, looking almost impressed. "You make good points, Captain. I am willing to discuss this further." He glanced to one side, then sat up straight. "But it will need to be at another time. I have some pressing business to attend to."

"Send me your offer," she said. "And an account where I can deposit the first payment, if I agree with your terms. We can discuss this further later."

"Very well." Rogun glowered at her one more time before reaching forward and disconnecting the call.

Rian slumped back in her chair with a sigh, unclenching the fists that she hadn't consciously made. That hadn't gone as well as she had hoped, but it hadn't been a complete disaster either. At least he had finally agreed to negotiate. But she was worried that the end price was going to be a lot higher than she had originally thought. She stood up and stretched, making sure everything was in order on the bridge before opening the door and making her way to her quarters. It wasn't something she could do anything about now. She needed sleep, and then she'd see what Rogun proposed.

*****

Rogun's offer was waiting for Rian when she woke up the next morning. She flopped into her chair on the bridge with a cup of hot caf from the food synthesizer to read it and groaned. The man was asking for the stars. There was no way that four missing crates of blasters had put him out that many credits.

"Problem, Captain?" Corso stuck his head around the door. His dreadlocks were loose around his face.

"Rogun's idea of a repayment schedule is absolutely ridiculous," she moaned, taking a long swallow of her caf. She could feel the heat spreading through her and she leaned her head back against her chair.

"When did you talk to Rogun?" Corso asked, coming fully onto the bridge.

"Last night," she said, flicking the message closed. She would look at it again, after she had had a chance to wake up a bit more, and maybe work off some frustration. It would take her months to get the money he was asking for.

"What?" Corso yelped.

"What's going on?" Viggota asked from the hall. Before Rian knew it, her whole crew was crammed into the doorway.

"She talked to Rogun last night," Corso said, gesturing to Rian.

"Without us?" Viggota asked, sounding surprised. He turned to look at Rian. "You should have waited. You didn't need to talk to him alone."

Rian blinked at them, then looked down at her caf. She clearly hadn't had enough yet. This conversation wasn't making any sense. "It was fine," she told them. "He only threatened me a little," she added, trying for a joke. Judging by the looks on her crew's faces, it fell flat.

"You didn't need to do that," Lomning said. "We would have stood with you against him."

"I didn't want him to see you guys," she mumbled into her cup, then mentally cursed the Cathar's sharp ears when Jorgan looked at her in surprise.

"Why not?" he asked. The others looked a little confused, not having caught Rian's comment.

"Because if he knows who you are and this goes south, you all might end up on a bounty board too," she replied sharply. "And none of you deserve that."

"And you do, Captain?" Corso asked.

"Technically, yes," she replied. "I defaulted on a delivery. I knew this was one of the possibilities. But that's my problem, and it shouldn't affect you guys. Besides, I'm already working towards a solution."

"But you just said that he's asking for too much!" Corso said, shaking his head.

"We're negotiating," she replied. She finished her mug of caf and stood up, any hope for a quiet morning disappearing. "He sent me his offer, and I'll counter, see where that gets me. But this is my problem, and I'm not getting you guys tangled up in it any more than you already are."

"I don't mind," Corso said, voice small. "I just hate that you think you need to do this alone when you've got all of us here already."

Rian bumped her shoulder against Corso's and he leaned into the touch a little bit. "I do need to do this alone. It's mine and my ship's reputation on the line. I messed up, so I need to fix it. If word gets out that I took advantage of the situation somehow, clients will be less likely to trust me."

"But you have backup," Viggota said, gesturing around to the others. "We're with you."

She looked at her crew dubiously. She knew that Corso wouldn't back down from this, and it seemed like Viggota wouldn't either. Lomning would probably support her, but she doubted that Jorgan was willing to get mixed up in this. He had been pretty silent in this conversation. "And if I don't want you to be a part of it?"

Corso set his jaw stubbornly. "You should have thought about that when you took us on. We're your crew. We're already part of this."

"I'm not sure you speak for everyone," she said, tilting her head towards the door. Well, more specifically towards where Jorgan was just barely visible behind Lomning's shoulder.

"Sure he does," Jorgan replied to her amazement. "I'm not in the habit of abandoning a comrade just because things got a little tough."

She shook her head and rubbed her free hand over her eyes. "Okay, clearly I'm still dreaming. I'm going to have another cup of caf." She tried to push her way past the crowd in the doorway but Lomning's hand landed gently on her shoulder.

"Rian, listen. We are with you. We are willing to help. I know you are used to having to do everything alone, but you're not alone any longer. Take advantage of our skills." He rested his other hand on her opposite shoulder and squeezed gently. "We are your friends. Let us help you."

She blinked up at the big Jedi a couple of times, now more sure than ever that this was all just a strange dream. These people had only known her for a couple of weeks, and she had spent a great deal of time butting heads with some of them. She barely knew them, they barely knew _her_ , and here they were willing to get involved with a gangster just because she had an unpaid debt from before they had even met her. "Look," she began, tightening her fingers around her mug so they didn't shake. "I appreciate the offer, I do. But I'm serious about not putting you in danger for my sake. We'll come across enough danger in this job, like you saw with the pirates. There's no sense in searching for more when it'll find us soon enough."

"I'd ask if all Twi'lek are this dense, but I've got Lomning as proof against that," Jorgan rumbled from the doorway. "I get the loner mentality. I used to be a sniper, remember? But you don't turn down help from your squad when you need it and they're offering. That's just bad tactics, and I know you're better at this than that."

Viggota was nodding beside him. "Like Lomning said, make use of our skills. I'm not sure how much help Jorgan or I will be unless this comes to a firefight, but Lomning's a good diplomat. Maybe he can help."

Rian looked up at all of them and stepped backwards out of Lomning's grasp. "I'll... think about it," she said, pushing past them and making her way towards her quarters. She'd get breakfast after she had managed to get her emotions under control.

The door to her quarters slid shut behind her and she let herself slide down the wall until she was sitting on the floor with her knees drawn up. She set the empty mug carefully beside her and looked at her hands. They were shaking. No one had had her back, not since Joro and Lia had left to start a family. She had spent the last three years alone on the _Event Horizon_ , trusting no one but herself to get the job done right. She could have guessed that Corso, and probably Lomning and Viggota would have been willing to help - that had been part of the reason why she had had the conversation with Rogun after they were in bed - but Jorgan's words had shaken her. He barely seemed to like her most of the time but here he was complimenting her and offering his help. She shook her head. Her world just wasn't making much sense this morning.

She hadn't been sitting there long when she heard a knock on the door. "I'm busy," she called.

"I brought some caf," Lomning's voice came through the door. "And breakfast. It is still warm."

She rubbed fiercely at her face for a moment and then reached up and keyed the door release. She knew better than to expect the Jedi to drop it. "Down here," she said when he looked around the room for her.

Lomning stepped inside and let the door slide shut behind him, then sat cross-legged beside her without anything so much as rattling on the tray he carried. He slid it onto her lap when she straightened her legs out, and she reached for the cup of caf. She was still feeling out of sorts, and she hoped that the stimulant would clear the dust from her brain.

"Did you get voted in, or did you volunteer?" she finally asked after she had finished half the mug. Lomning looked pointedly at the tray and she picked up her fork to start in on her eggs.

"It was a mutual decision," Lomning replied once her mouth was full. "You have worried everyone, Rian."

She sighed and swallowed her mouthful. "Sorry. I'll apologize later."

"They don't need an apology," he said. "They just weren't expecting you to react like that, and it surprised them. They have only seen you as completely in charge of every situation, even when things are falling down around your _lekku_. They might prefer an explanation to an apology."

Rian winced and stabbed at her eggs. "You know I'm not too keen on that."

"I'm not saying to tell them your life story, but at least give them something," he said. "We have been on board for a week. Have you talked to any of them about their pasts?"

"Spacers don't tend to do that," she told him. "Most people in my line of work are running from something. It's only polite to not ask what."

"None of us are spacers," Lomning reminded her gently. "Corso in particular is wondering why you ran from us."

"I didn't run!" Rian snapped hotly, the dishes on the tray rattling. Lomning gave her a pointed look and she slumped back against the wall. "Oh blast it. Yes, I ran. I've been alone for three years. What did you expect me to do?"

"You could talk, instead," the Jedi said, giving her a soft look. "You have friends here, Rian. I know you think it is too soon for friendship, and that you keep your armour close around your heart, thinking that it will keep you from being hurt again. But we are your friends, and we worry, and want to help. Let us help, if we can."

Rian sighed and looked down at her tray. The eggs were good, but her stomach was in knots and she wasn't that hungry any more. "You're way better at this sort of thing than I am, Jedi."

"Years of training," he said with a smile. "Now, come on. No sense in putting it off."

She groaned, but let Lomning take the tray and pull her to her feet. "I'm starting to regret bringing you on board," she told him.

"No, you aren't."

"No," she agreed quietly, knowing he was right. "I'm not."

*****

The silence in the common room was deafening. Everyone was trying very hard to pretend that they hadn't been listening for Rian and Lomning's return. Corso was clutching his knife and fork awkwardly, even though his plate was empty, and Viggota and Jorgan probably thought they were being subtle when they watched her walk in. Rian nearly turned and went back to her quarters, or the bridge, Lomning's words be damned. This would blow over sooner or later.

It was Seetoo, clanking in from the kitchen with another tray that broke the tension. "Ah, Master! It is good to see you. Would you like another cup of caf? Or some more eggs? Master Lomning has also created a very passable hash brown, if I do say so myself."

"You don't eat, Droid," she told him with rough affection as she took her usual seat. "How would you know if the hash browns were any good?"

"Well, I watched him create them, and my memory core tells me that you are likely to find the combination of ingredients pleasing." The droid set the tray down on the table and scooped a spoonful of hash browns onto the plate in front of her. "I will bring you some eggs."

"I already ate," she told him, but found herself speaking to his back as he clanked away.

Lomning settled himself beside her, shoulders shaking slightly. She snuck a sidelong glance at him, and sure enough the Jedi was silently laughing. She elbowed him lightly in the ribs and he grinned over at her. "You have to admit, it is entertaining to watch him mother you."

She scowled slightly but felt a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. It broke the tension a bit and by the time Seetoo returned with a fresh tray of eggs and whisked away some of the empty plates the mood around the table was a little more normal.

"All right," she said, finishing a mouthful of Lomning's excellent hash browns. "I've been alone on the _Event Horizon_ for three years. My social skills are a little rusty. Thank you all for your offers of help. I'll consider it." Lomning glowered at her a little and she gave him a sharp look in return. She wasn't going to grovel, or offer her whole life story. That was all they were going to get for the moment.

"Three years?" Corso asked. "What happened?"

"My last pair of crew members got married and pregnant, and decided it was time to settle down," she said, poking at her eggs.

Corso furrowed his brow a bit. "They both got pregnant? Like... with each other?"

Rian laughed and shook her head. "Sorry, bad phrasing. Lia got pregnant, and she and Joro didn't think a ship was the best place to raise the kid. So they settled down dirt-side and had a couple more. I see them sometimes. They're happy together."

"But what about after that?" Viggota asked. "Three years is a long time to run a ship alone."

"The _Event Horizon_ only needs one crew member," she pointed out. "It's not exactly a battlecruiser." She shrugged. "And I just never found anyone that was interested in joining up."

"So you're used to being on your own and suddenly there's us all over your ship and poking into your business." Viggota nodded as if he understood. "We can try to tone it down a bit. It must be a bit of a shock to you."

Rian focused her attention on her plate, moving her eggs around absently. "No, it's fine. I just need to adjust. Assuming you guys are planning on staying, anyways."

"'Course we are!" Corso burst out. "We're not planning on abandoning you."

"Well, sometimes the universe has other ideas," she told him, but she admitted that it still felt good to hear him say it.

"Well, screw the universe," Corso said stubbornly, jerking a thumb at his chest. "I ain't leaving you."

" _Maybe someday you will believe him,_ " Lomning told her in Twi'leki, and she just offered him a shrug in return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if Rogun is out of character at all in my story - I never got to the point of "meeting" him in-game (and have had to stop playing due to a shoulder injury!), so I was basically making him up as I went along!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies from Chapter 7 about Rogun being possibly out of character continue into this chapter!

Lomning offered - insisted, more like - to be present the next time Rian spoke to Rogun.  The gangster was visibly surprised to see Lomning standing beside Rian's chair when he answered her holocall, and then smirked.  "Is this your husband, Captain?  What, you decided that you couldn't handle the negotiations on your own?"

Rian let her amusement show on her face.  "Actually, this is my friend Lomning.  He agreed to mediate, since he felt that your first offer indicated that you were not actually prepared to bargain in good faith.  He thought that the payment you were requesting was far too high and that you would benefit from having a neutral party supervising the remainder of the negotiations to keep you honest."

Rogun's gaze turned icy.  "And you think that bringing in one of your little friends will make me more likely to overlook your transgressions?"  He arched an eyebrow.  "And besides, in what universe do you think that I would believe that this man is an impartial observer?"

"Jedi are well known for their ability to remain neutral.  It is why they are so often requested as mediators,"  Lomning said with a bow.  His lightsaber hilt swung free of his robes as he did, and Rian hid a smirk as Rogun's eyes followed the movement.

"A Jedi?"  He definitely looked put off, though he hid it well.  "How do I know that you're actually a Jedi?"  he asked with a bravado that Rian wasn't sure he actually felt.  "You could be any fat Twi'lek stuffed into a robe."

Lomning looked faintly disapproving but his voice was perfectly level.  "Of course, I would not expect someone such as you to take my word for it.  Please, feel free to contact the Order to verify my credentials."

Rogun leaned back in his chair, definitely off-balance and Rian pressed her advantage.  "If you're not prepared to continue the negotiations right now, we can reschedule this conversation for another time."  She knew that a gangster such as Rogun was unlikely to send any requests to the Jedi Council to verify Lomning's identity, and breaking off the negotiations now wouldn't strengthen his position any.  It wouldn't necessarily give her any extra leverage either, but it wouldn't hurt.

The Chagrian shook his head sullenly, knowing that Rian and Lomning had out-maneuvered him.  Either he could contact the Jedi Order to verify Lomning's story - something that a wanted criminal would be hesitant to do - or he could negotiate with them, knowing that they would be watching him closely for any tricks.  He could also order Rian to get rid of Lomning, but that would be near as good as an admission that he was trying to cheat her and didn't want anyone else around to try to stop him.

Rogun finally conceded with ill grace, and the negotiations began in earnest.  He seemed surprised that Lomning was letting Rian do the bulk of the talking, though the Jedi did interject occasionally when either of them seemed to be pushing for an unfair advantage over the other.  Rogun looked startled every time Lomning spoke up against Rian, as if he had doubted that the Jedi would be as impartial as he had claimed.

Rian was pleased with the eventual outcome.  The price was much lower than the first one Rogun had quoted to her, and much more in line with what she had been anticipating.  Rogun was still getting more than enough credits to cover the cost of the missing blasters, the delivery fee, and interest.  She would have to work to get enough on hand to pay him by the dates they had decided upon.  Still, the gangster looked a little sour, and the expression deepened when Lomning reminded him of the original deal - that Rogun would make sure that the false bounty on Rian was removed within the day.

Corso was around the corner onto the bridge almost before Rian flicked the holo off.  She had agreed, at Lomning's prompting, to let the crew listen to the negotiations this time though she was still adamant that she didn't want Rogun seeing any of them.  She had been unhappy enough at Lomning's insistence on being present.

"That was awesome,"  the young man crowed, throwing his hands up in the air gleefully.  "He was totally thrown.  You really pulled a fast one on him."

Rian spun her chair to face the doorway, watching as Viggota and Jorgan followed Corso a little more sedately though they both looked fairly pleased with the outcome.  "I wouldn't necessarily say that,"  she told her first mate.  "But I got a much better deal than the first one he was offering.  This one's actually realistic, and fair."

"So what's the plan now?"  Corso asked, settling into his chair at the secondary console.

"Well, we've still got some deliveries to complete, and I'll probably need to pick up at least another job or two to make sure I've got enough credits to pay Rogun back, but then we should be free and clear.  I'm thinking it might be a good time to get off the radar a bit.  I mean, I just pissed off a pretty powerful criminal who might not take kindly to seeing my face for the next little while.  We should probably stick to Republic-controlled space for a couple of weeks to give him some time to cool off."  She figured that would go over just fine with the two soldiers, even though it was easier to get more interesting jobs on the Outer Rim worlds.

"I can contact Garza,"  Viggota offered, grinning when Rian made a face.  "I know you don't like her.  I'm not overly thrilled with her myself at the moment, but she might have some leads about the rest of Havoc Squad, or at least be able to point us towards a job or two."

"I thought she said she would contact us when she had news,"  Jorgan said, face drawn into an even deeper scowl than usual.  The Cathar clearly hadn't forgiven the general for the machinations that had essentially stripped him and Viggota of their Republic Army ranks and made them freelancers on Rian's ship.

"It's a good idea,"  Rian said reluctantly.  "Taking jobs in Republic space will help keep us off Rogun's radar.  From what I found out about him, he mostly sticks to the independent planets."  She shook her head.  "But I'm not keen on going crawling back to Garza before she contacts us either.  We don't need her charity."

"I could contact my Order,"  Lomning offered unexpectedly.  "It is possible they might be in need of a transport ship such as this."

Rian turned to look at him curiously.  She had never done any jobs for the Jedi before, since the Order generally handled its own ships and supplies.  "You think so?"

"We will not know until we ask,"  Lomning replied serenely.  "I should check in, at any rate.  It is just as easy to add an inquiry to my next letter."

"You've been keeping in regular contact?"  Rian asked.  She wasn't surprised, but she hadn't really thought about it.  She wondered what the Order thought about Lomning's association with her.

"Generally once a week,"  he replied, tucking his hands into the opposite sleeves of his robe.  "My Master has been enjoying the tales of my journeys."

"Oh, well... That's good,"  Rian said, trying to shake off the strange feeling.  She couldn't even imagine a Jedi Master's reaction to her.  "Might as well give it a try,"  she said.  "But don't Jedi usually handle their own business?"

"Yes,"  Lomning replied.  "But sometimes they will work with independent ships, or friends.  There is not as much adherence to protocol as there is in, for example, the Republic Army, where all movements of personnel and goods must be done through official channels."

"Are you saying that Jedi sometimes use smugglers to move people quietly?"  Corso asked incredulously.  Lomning spread his hands, not deigning to answer, but he was smiling.  Corso dropped his head back against his chair.  "Stars, doesn't that just take it?  Jedi, working with smugglers!"

"Well, what do you think Lomning's doing?"  Viggota asked with a laugh.  Jorgan snorted with amusement behind him, and Rian shot a mock glare at the soldiers.

"Fine, yes, let's mock the captain of the ship you're living on,"  she said, trying to be stern but she felt her lips curl up into a smile.  "Well, it sounds like we might have a plan,"  she said.  "We're already en route for the next delivery.  We've probably got a week's worth of work right now, maybe a bit less.  Lomning, when's your next letter going out?"

"It can be sent at any time,"  he said.  "It will likely take a couple of days to receive a response to my inquiry, unless there is a pressing situation."

"We'll be a couple of weeks from Coruscant by the time we're finished these jobs,"  Rian warned.  "We won't be able to handle anything really urgent."

"Understood,"  Lomning said with a bow.  "I will retire, then, and prepare the letter.  I will let you know what I learn."

She nodded, watching as the Jedi left the bridge, then shook her head incredulously.  "Well, that's new."

"Never worked with Jedi before?"  Corso asked.

"No,"  she replied.  "They've got their own ships, or they'll go on Republic-owned vessels, generally.  Or if they're ordering shipments of supplies they'll deal with big companies, not independents like me.  So this will be a first."

"But wouldn't having contacts among the Jedi Order be a good thing?"  the young man asked with a slight pleading look in his eyes.  Corso obviously really wanted to see the Jedi homeworld and she had to admit that she was curious about it as well.

"I would think so.  I definitely don't have any objections to working with them.  I just never thought I'd have the opportunity."

"And it keeps us out from under Garza's thumb,"  Jorgan added with a scowl.

"Yeah, that's definitely a plus in my book,"  Rian agreed.

*****

Thanks to a local shortage, they had been able to offload the ryll to a medical manufacturer on New Cov for a much better price than Rian had anticipated and with the rest of the recovered cargo from the pirate ship safely delivered or sold to brokers, Rian had enough tucked away to make the last payment to Rogun.  She breathed a sigh of relief when she got the confirmation that the credits had been transferred successfully and leaned back in her chair.

They were in orbit around Druckenwell, an industrialized world known for its weapons manufacturing complexes and its shipyard.  Rian hadn't been able to pick up any jobs there, since most of the exports were of larger shipments than she could carry.  With an empty hold and a nearly empty credit account, Rian was just about out of options.  If they didn't hear back from Lomning's master soon, they would need to look elsewhere - and whether that was to Garza or to the Outer Rim planets was still up for debate.  The whole crew was pretty solidly in agreement against going to Garza, but no one was very keen on heading to the Outer Rim either, not with Rogun at his strongest there.

Rian barely heard Lomning's light tread on the decking but she had gotten good at noticing it over the past few days.  Lomning wasn't deliberately trying to sneak up on anyone, but he just naturally moved lightly.  Jorgan was the only one he didn't usually startle at least once a day.  "Any news, Jedi?"  she asked him as he came onto the bridge.

"Yes, finally,"  he said with a smile.  He seated himself at his usual chair across from Corso's station.  "My master replied and said that she is certain she can find work for us.  There are some newly-graduated students that need transport from Tython to Taris to assist with the rebuilding efforts, but it is not an urgent trip, and no official transports are heading in that direction in the next month.  I advised that we are not in the immediate area,"  he added before Rian could say anything,  "But she said there is no rush.  They will only learn more by staying longer."

"Well, let me set a course, then,"  Rian said, swinging her chair back around to face her screens.  "I've had my fill of hanging around in orbit, wasting fuel."  Her hands flicked rapidly across the controls, letting the navcomputer calculate the route to Tython.  She had never been to the planet before.  It was in the Deep Core, even further Coreward than Coruscant and Corellia, and the home of the Jedi Academy.  Hyperspace travel was a little trickier in the Deep Core, but the route to Tython was well-plotted and they shouldn't have any problems.  Course set, she engaged the autopilot and the _Event Horizon_ broke orbit, heading out of the system at sublight.  They couldn't make the jump to hyperspace until they were out of the planet's gravity well.

"I really appreciate you looking into that,"  she told Lomning as she turned back to face him.  "And I really should have asked this sooner, but... Is there anything we should know, dealing with Jedi?  Will we need to provide any special accommodations or meals?"

Lomning pressed his fingertips together and tapped his index fingers against his bottom lip.  "I did not think to ask if either of the students have any special requirements, but I will do so in my next letter to my master.  As for accommodations, they will be fine in our quarters, if Viggota and Aric do not mind sharing with Corso and me for a few days."

"I'll ask,"  she said with a brisk nod.  "And let me know once you hear back.  We can make a stop on the way to resupply if we need to."

"You can obtain supplies on Tython itself,"  Lomning said.  "The Order does not have enough on hand to supply a large transport, but they will provide anything special that the students will require, and will pay for their accommodation in addition to supplying their meals."

"Good to know."  That was pretty standard - when Rian had ferried people in the past she would charge not only for the transportation itself but for the food they would consume on the journey.  They didn't usually provide their own supplies, though, so this would be a nice change.

She heard the heavier footsteps of one of her other crew outside and looked up as Viggota poked his head around the corner.  "I take it we got a job?"  he asked, glancing out the viewports as the _Event Horizon_ made her way out of the system.

"We're headed to Tython.  Lomning's master found work for us.  We'll be ferrying a couple of young Jedi to Taris."  She paused, hearing more footsteps behind Viggota.  It made more sense to tell everyone at once, so she waited until Corso and Jorgan joined them.  "We've got a job,"  she told them, half-turning in her chair to make sure that they were still on course.  "We're going to be transporting a pair of recently-graduated Jedi from Tython to Taris.  Which means,"  she added apologetically,  "That you guys will need to share accommodations for the duration of the trip so they can have Lomning and Corso's room.."  Corso and the two soldiers looked resigned, but they all nodded.

"What are we going to do about Xirra?"  Corso asked with a frown.

"I need to talk to her,"  Rian said.  "I just paid the last instalment to Rogun, so we should be clear of that debt.  The bounty has been lifted, so she's free to go.  We can let her off at any port we dock at, assuming you're all in agreement?"

"You're sure you want to let her leave?"  Corso asked.  "She's been a big help."

"I know she has,"  Rian said, tapping her fingers absently on the arm of her chair.  Corso was right.  Xirra had proved to have a knack for mechanics.  She had the engines running better than Rian had thought possible, without even replacing any parts.  She'd been cheerful and friendly, and hadn't complained once about being under constant supervision or having to stay locked in the cargo hold instead of proper quarters.  Rian hated to admit that she had taken a shine to the young woman, and was pleased with the work she had done on the _Event Horizon_.  "Like I said, I'll have to talk to her."

"Are you considering offering her a position with us?"  Lomning asked.

Rian chewed on her bottom lip and shrugged.  "I'm really not sure.  She's done more than enough to earn it, and hasn't given me any reason to think she might turn on us.  What do you guys think?"

"We already know what you think,"  Viggota told Corso with a grin when the young man opened his mouth.  He thumped Corso affectionately on the shoulder.  "And I'm starting to agree with you.  I've kept a close eye on her, but I think Rian's right.  She's really taken advantage of the chance you gave her.  She's a hard worker, she's been pleasant to be around, and I think we can trust her."  Corso nodded emphatically in agreement, and Rian couldn't help but grin.

"And what about you, Jorgan?"  she asked, turning to the Cathar.  He looked uncharacteristically torn.

"I agree with everything that's been said,"  he said slowly.  "But I'm just having a hard time getting over the fact that she pulled a gun on you."

"I know,"  Rian said.  "I keep thinking about that too.  But I do know something about being desperate enough to do something stupid.  I think she might have proved that she deserves another chance."

"All right,"  he agreed reluctantly.  "But I still think she should be kept under observation."

"I agree."  Behind Rian, the navcomputer beeped.  The _Event Horizon_ was outside of the planet's gravity well and they were clear to make the jump to hyperspace.  She turned around to tap out her acceptance of the route and the engines changed pitch as the stars outside the viewports slid into long trails of blue-tinged light.  "All right, we've got a week and a half before we reach Tython.  So we'll have time to come up with a solution that works for everyone."

"What will you do if she stays?"  Corso asked, flopping into his usual seat.  "About the rooms, I mean.  There's nowhere for her to stay right now, unless the four of us start sharing permanently."  He made a face, and neither Viggota nor Jorgan looked very excited about that prospect either.

"For now, she'll stay where she is,"  Rian said.  "We'll have to make some decisions, though, if she ends up staying any longer.  We can't keep a crew member locked in the hold forever."

"What about converting it to a proper bedroom, at least temporarily?"  Lomning asked.  "It is fairly small, so you aren't losing too much cargo space.  But she would need to continue to use someone else's washroom facilities."

"It's easy enough to bolt in a proper bed and a dresser or something,"  Rian replied with a shrug.  "Though we're a little short of credits at the moment, since I sent Rogun his payments.  But it's something I can look into.  I could even install an extra sonic shower in there.  I've seen some pretty cheap portable units.  But first, we'll have to figure out if she even wants to stay.  If she doesn't I'm sure we can find someplace else for her."

"Well then let's talk to her,"  Corso said, sitting upright in his chair.  "No sense in stalling, right?"

Rian chuckled, offering her hand to let Corso pull her to her feet.  "All right, let's go."  She glanced at the others over her shoulder.  "You guys mind keeping an eye on the ship for me for a bit?"

"No problem,"  Viggota replied, already making his way towards his usual chair.  "Let us know what she says."

Rian let Corso lead the way towards the smallest cargo hold.  Like Jorgan, she was still a little torn about Xirra.  The girl _had_ pulled a gun on her, but Rian knew what it was like to be desperate.  It's how she herself had ended up on the _Event Horizon_ , after all, though no guns had been involved that time.  But the old captain had given her the second chance that she had badly needed back then, and it was hard to not feel at least a little sympathy for Xirra.  "Let me do the talking,"  she told Corso before he unlocked the door.  "I want to get a feel for what she wants before I offer her anything."  He looked like he wanted to argue but just nodded and thumbed the lock open.

It looked like the girl had been sitting on her pallet, reading something on the tablet that Corso had brought her - which Rian had made very sure couldn't connect to any external networks - but she had scrambled to her feet as the door opened.  She looked a little nervous, and Rian stayed in the doorway while Corso moved deeper into the room.

"Well, I got my debt to Rogun paid off today,"  she told Xirra without preamble.  "He's lifted the bounty.  So that means you're free to disembark."

The girl's eyes went round.  "Really?"  she asked breathlessly.  "You'd let me go?"

"Of course,"  Rian replied.  "This was never meant to be a permanent arrangement."  She watched as Xirra's face fell.

"Oh.  I mean, I knew that."  The girl twisted her fingers together tightly.  A week of regular meals had taken some of the hollowness away from her face, but she was still unhealthily thin and her knuckles stuck out from her pale skin.

"Something you wanted to say?"  Rian asked her, leaning casually against the doorframe.  Corso looked like he was holding his breath.

"Well, no, I guess.  It's just... I thought maybe..."  She trailed off, shaking her head.  "It's okay.  It's nothing."

"I know I promised not to push if there was something you didn't want to tell anyone,"  Rian said.  "But I also promise that I'll listen, if there's something you want to say."

It took Xirra a few moments to gather up her courage before she finally blurted out,  "I just wondered if maybe I could stay."

"Here, on the ship?"  Rian asked, getting a jerky nod in response.  "Why?"

"Well..."  Rian could see from the doorway that Xirra's hands were shaking.  "I just really liked being part of the crew.  I liked being able to work on the engines, and know that I was helping and doing a good job.  And I don't have anywhere else to go,"  she finished quietly.

"I think that between me and my crew we could probably find somewhere for you, if you wanted to leave.  I've got a lot of contacts.  I could probably get you a job somewhere."  Rian watched closely as Xirra's fingers tightened until her bony knuckles went white.

"And I'd sure appreciate that,"  she replied.  "But instead of going to that trouble for me, maybe you could let me stay?"  She peered over at Rian hopefully, her dark fringe of bangs falling in her eyes.

Rian didn't even pretend to be thinking it over, especially with Corso's face spreading into a goofy smile.  "I kind of hoped that's what you wanted to ask.  You've done a really good job here, and I've already discussed it with my crew.  If you're willing to keep living with some restrictions for a while longer, we'd like for you to stay."

Xirra's mouth dropped open in surprise, and Corso whooped and grabbed the girl in an exuberant hug.  "I told you it'd work out,"  he told her, spinning her around before setting her carefully back down.  She was smiling tentatively at him, and Rian just shook her head when Corso reached out to carefully push Xirra's bangs out of her face.  It looked like Corso might have gotten over the crush he'd had on her.

"We're on our way to another job,"  Rian told Xirra, who was blushing faintly and watching Corso from under her lashes.  "We've got a week and a half in hyperspace to get there, so we've got time to hash out the details.  But I was wondering if you'd like to join the crew for dinner tonight."

"Yes,"  Xirra said, looking up at her and smiling hugely.  "I'd like that."

"Good,"  Rian said, stepping backwards out of the cargo hold.  "Corso, I'll send someone to fetch you guys when dinner's ready, if you'd like to stay here?"

"Thanks, Captain,"  he replied, barely even glancing at Rian.

She tapped the panel beside the door to close and lock the hold again and headed back towards the bridge, shaking her head.  She hoped that Corso didn't get himself hurt, falling for Xirra, but he was a big boy and he could make his own decisions.


	9. Chapter 9

Looking back, Rian couldn't necessarily say she would have changed anything.  The trip to Tython had been uneventful, with Xirra slowly integrating more and more with the rest of the crew.  She was still confined to the small cargo hold when she wasn't under direct supervision, but Corso and surprisingly Viggota had started working on some touches to make the space homier.  They had managed to make Xirra's pallet into a proper bed thanks to some spare crates and a few hours of work, and added a small table and one of the spare chairs from the common room.  Lomning had been a big help in getting Xirra more comfortable around the others during the shared meals.  She had been a little nervous around Jorgan, which Rian could certainly understand.  It wasn't like the Cathar went out of his way to befriend the girl, though he wasn't trying to deliberately terrify her either.  He just wasn't the easiest person to get to know, and the fact that he was making a conscious attempt to physically interpose himself between Xirra and Rian was hard to miss.

He and Rian had actually come close to blows about it.  Rian had argued that Jorgan was undermining her authority, in addition to making Xirra uncomfortable around both of them, and that Rian was fully capable of taking care of herself if Xirra came at her with a fork over the table one day.  Jorgan countered that Rian had put him and Viggota in charge of security on the _Event Horizon_ and that if she didn't like how he was going about it that she would just have to deal with it.  Lomning and Viggota had had their hands full in trying to smooth things over between the two of them but eventually Rian had admitted that she knew Jorgan was just trying to do his job, and Jorgan had agreed that he could probably tone it down slightly, since Xirra hadn't proved to be a threat to anyone yet.

Tython itself was a pleasant planet, green and lush, and warm with summer.  Rian and Lomning had met with his master, an elderly Human woman named Yuon Par, to hash out the details of the job.  They had picked up the two young Jedi men, a cheerful, talkative Nautolan and a much shyer Human who had unfortunately suffered through space sickness for most of the trip despite everything that Lomning had tried, and delivered them safely to Taris.

It was on Taris that the whole thing had gone wrong.  The planet itself had looked fine enough from orbit, with great swathes of green vegetation across its surface, but now Rian was wishing they had never landed.  The air was hot and damp, making clothing stick to skin within moments, and every breath felt like it was at least half water.  The vegetation that she had seen from space turned out to be towering trees and twisting vines that had overgrown the Coruscant-like world-city that had spanned Taris before a Sith bombardment during the Jedi Civil War three centuries before had rendered it uninhabitable.  Plants and swampland had taken over the crumbling ruins and the shrieks and chatters of unfamiliar creatures could be heard even within the Republic's so-called safe zone.

The area immediately around Olaris Spaceport had been cleared down to bare earth, and walls erected to keep the Republic troops and support workers safe from the wildlife and the encroaching plants.  Outside the walls was what the Republic was calling the "Resettlement Zone", a space where troops and support staff were clearing the vegetation from the ancient buildings and seeing if anything was salvageable there.  Structures that were deemed unsafe - which were most of them - were being torn down and the wreckage used to reinforce the walls around the spaceport or to shore up other buildings.  The hope was that once the work was done the Republic could re-colonize Taris, using it as something of a spiritual victory.  Rian assumed whoever had come up with this project naively thought that taking back a world that had been destroyed by the Sith centuries ago would lift the spirits of people who were still suffering through the aftermath of the Republic's decade-old loss to the Sith during the Great Galactic War.

Rian herself had been born during the Great Galactic War, the twenty-eight year conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire.  It had cost her both of her parents, and then her freedom.  She hadn't even known at first that the war had ended, even though it had happened the same year she had regained her freedom.  She hadn't exactly been in a position to follow the news at the time.

Since the end of the war, and the Sith Empire's decisive victory, the Republic had been struggling to rebuild.  Rian knew firsthand that the economy was only just now starting to recover and that ten years of hardship had left its mark on the citizens of the Republic, but she thought that there were probably much better ways to try to foster hope than wasting money on this stinking swamp of a planet.

Of course, she might have felt more charitably towards the rebuilding project if she hadn't been grounded.

One of the biggest threats on Taris was the wildlife.  More specifically, the rakghouls.  From what she had been able to learn, between the horror stories and the superstitions, they weren't an entirely natural creature.  No one she had talked to knew where they had come from initially, but they proliferated through turning people into rakghouls, rather than simply by breeding.  Rakghouls carried some sort of plague that was capable of changing a creature's very DNA into a horrible parody of what they used to be.  The beasts had spread like wildfire on Taris, especially after the Sith bombardment had driven people from their defensible homes into the half-destroyed Undercity.  They were capable of passing the disease through a single infected bite or scratch.  Anyone unlucky enough to survive the initial attack had at best even odds of succumbing to the virus themselves and ending up a mindless, slavering beast only interested in attacking anything that smelled like food.

Shortly after the _Event Horizon_ had landed and Lomning had gone to present the two young Jedi to the pair of Masters who were overseeing the Council's assistance with the re-colonization efforts, news had come in about a rakghoul outbreak on Tatooine and a handful of other colonies.  No one knew exactly how the disease had spread to those worlds, so the Tarisian planetary governor had instituted an immediate lockdown.  No ships could leave Taris for fear that they might take the plague with them.

So that had left Rian and her crew cooling their heels in what passed for a cantina on Taris - the Republic mess hall attached to the Olaris Spaceport.  They had been here three days so far, with no information about when the quarantine might be lifted.  Rian, and the other independent ship captains who were stuck here with her, were pretty low on the list of who the planetary governor was going to share information with.  At least the governor had waived the docking fees for the duration of the quarantine.  The spaceport had originally been planning to charge the captains for the time spent in their landing bays but after the news had very nearly caused a riot, the governor had issued an edict that docking fees were suspended until the quarantine was lifted.  Rian was glad that someone was seeing sense - it wasn't like any of them had been planning to stay this long, and it seemed unfair to force them to pay while preventing them from leaving.

It was lunch time, and the mess hall was crowded.  Republic soldiers made up the largest groups, loud and rowdy as they blew off some steam on their downtime.  There were several smaller tables of scientists or researchers passing datapads back and forth as they tried to solve the mystery of the rakghoul plague and find a cure before it spread any further.  Rian and her crew had found a table off to one side, near a pair of other crews from similarly stranded ships.  There were also a few hopeful colonists who had come to Taris despite it not being publicly open for colonization yet.  Trying to beat the rush, Rian supposed, though she privately doubted that anyone would be rushing to colonize Taris any time soon.

She used the tip of her spoon to push the chunks of stew around in her bowl.  It was synthesizer fare, and only passable at that.  Though given the rakghoul situation, she wasn't sure that she'd rather be eating anything made with fresh ingredients either.  Corso was hunched morosely over his own bowl, poking dispiritedly at it.  Viggota and Jorgan had polished theirs off, but hadn't looked like they had enjoyed it.  Lomning was eating his slowly, face a blank mask.  At his elbow, Xirra wasn't even pretending and was making a disgusted face with every mouthful.

"Do they not know you're supposed to clean out the food synthesizers every once in a while?"  she asked, shoving her nearly empty bowl away.  "Yuck."

Rian chuckled, watching Corso trying to hide his besotted grin.  "I'm not sure it's a very high priority for them,"  she replied.  "Maybe you should offer your services while we're stuck here.  I'm sure most everyone would thank you.  Maybe throw a parade."

Xirra smiled tentatively, realizing Rian was joking with her in much the same way she did with the rest of the crew.  The girl was slowly coming out of her shell, but was quick to take innocent comments as personal criticism and wasn't always sure when something was a joke.  Rian was glad to see that she was learning, even as it made her furious to think what sort of environment Xirra must have grown up in.  "I could, if you'd be okay with that."

"I'd be leading the parade,"  Rian said, pushing her bowl away as well.  She'd had more than enough of it.

"Do you really think they'd say yes?"  Xirra asked, twisting her hands tightly together in her lap.  Rian wondered if she would always have that nervous habit.

"No way of knowing until you ask,"  she told the young woman, who winced a bit, presumably at the thought of having to ask.  She was slowly getting more comfortable with the crew, but was rarely the first one to speak up about something.  "Come on,"  Rian offered.  "I can do the talking, if you'd rather."

"No,"  Xirra said, pulling herself upright and squaring her shoulders.  "I can do it."

Rian didn't bother hiding her delighted grin as the young woman stood and made her way towards the bar.  She had to stand on her toes to lean over the tall counter so the Human soldier manning the food synthesizers could hear her over the shouts of his compatriots at their tables, but the man looked thoughtful as Xirra made her offer.  He finally nodded, waving to her to come around the end of the counter.  Xirra flashed a brilliant smile over her shoulder at Rian and the others before following the soldier into the back.

"I should keep an eye on her,"  Corso said, twisting in his seat to watch.  "Just in case, you know?"

Rian glanced at the other three men.  Lomning shrugged, but Viggota and Jorgan nodded.  "Probably a good idea,"  the Cathar rumbled.  "Not that she's given us any reason not to trust her, but I'm not sure that any of us should be wandering around alone here right now.  People are frustrated because of the quarantine, and that can spark tempers."

"Good call,"  Rian said, nodding her approval to Corso.  The young man was out of his chair like a shot, slipping behind the counter and into the back room without so much as a glance behind him.  She shook her head slightly and leaned back in her chair.  She hoped that his infatuation wouldn't become a problem.

"He's young, but he has a good head on his shoulders,"  Viggota spoke up from beside her.  "He'll be ready, if he's needed."

"I thought only Jedi could read minds,"  she teased, kicking the leg of his chair lightly under the table.  "But I hope you're right."

"I thought you'd be glad to have him distracted by someone else,"  Viggota teased back, blocking her next kick with his booted shin.  The two soldiers were wearing their armoured boots thanks to the swampy ground.  It wasn't too bad inside the wall, but there were still muddy patches in places and the durasteel boots were easier to clean than softer ship shoes.

"I am,"  she replied fervently, glad that Corso's crush on her seemed to have passed.  "But I still want to make sure he's not walking around with his head so far up in the clouds that he's going to get himself hurt."

Jorgan made a sound that was a cross between a growl and a laugh.  "Want me to go keep an eye on the both of them?"

"I think they will be fine,"  Lomning said serenely, setting his empty bowl aside.  "For now, I would be more concerned with them."  He tilted his head to the side, indicating a pair of Humans at a table a few feet away.  They had enough of a resemblance that Rian thought they might be brother and sister, though the female was small and delicate while the male was around the same size and stature as Viggota.  The male was clearly upset, gesticulating angrily at his sister though he was managing to keep his voice down enough that she couldn't hear what he was ranting about.

"You think things might escalate?"  Rian asked Lomning, casually dropping her hands to check on her blasters.  There was no way she was going to wander around unarmed on a planet filled with monsters that could turn you into one of them just as soon as eat you for dinner.  She was even wearing her armoured jacket and pants, though the jacket was currently unzipped in deference to the stifling heat.

"I believe they might,"  the Jedi said, folding his hands in his lap.  He wasn't looking over at the other table, though Viggota and Jorgan were glancing that way.  "He is very angry."

"What's his problem?"  Viggota asked, clearly straining to hear the man's angry diatribe.

"Sounds like he's one of the colonists,"  Jorgan replied, sharp ears flicking towards the table.  "Something didn't go his way.  His land claim got denied or something, I think.  And he's complaining about aliens,"  he added darkly, just as the man looked up to see Rian's crew watching him.

"You got something to say?"  he snarled, fisting one hand on the table.  His sandy hair was disarrayed as if he'd been raking his hands through it.  It had probably been elaborately styled once, judging by his fine clothes.  His face was twisted into an ugly expression.  "Maybe you alien freaks think you can take even more from me?"

"Relus, calm down,"  the woman said hastily, flicking her gaze quickly across Rian's table and back to her brother.  "They're just here for dinner, the same as us."

"I don't think so,"  he spat, pulling his hand away when his sister tried to touch it.  "I think they're here for the same reason we are.  And maybe they're even in league with those alien freaks that stole our land."

"Drunk,"  Jorgan muttered in an undertone.  His hand was very close to his blaster.  He and Viggota had both brought pistols rather than their more cumbersome assault cannons, and Lomning's lightsaber was hidden under his robes.  "We won't be able to reason with him."

"Let's go get Corso and Xirra,"  Rian said quietly, pushing herself to her feet and nodding pleasantly to the drunk man's sister.  "We'll go back to the ship."

"Don't turn your back on me!"  the man roared.  Rian heard the scrape of his chair being pushed back and the thud of it hitting the floor.  The cantina went suddenly quiet as all eyes swung to the imminent confrontation.

Viggota's hand curled around Rian's elbow and he put his body between her and the drunk Human.  "Just keep walking,"  he muttered.  "Lomning's got this."

"I'm not sure he'll listen to an alien,"  Rian said sourly.  "Not even one who's a Jedi."

Sure enough, she heard the man roar with anger as Lomning tried to placate him.  She spun out of Viggota's grip just in time to see Lomning sway easily out of the way of a wild punch.  "Blasted aliens!  Keep your noses out of our business!  We're just trying to take back what's ours and you're stealing every inch of it!"

Out of the corner of her eye, Rian could see movement as some of the on-duty soldiers who were acting as staff and security for the lunch rush moved towards the confrontation and others shifted to block the off-duty ones from crowding closer.  Lunch was pretty much forgotten as the drunk man - Relus - took another swing at Lomning.  The Jedi's easy avoidance only served to make him angrier and Rian dove for cover behind their abandoned table when Relus went for the blaster at his waist.  Someone screamed, high and thin - possibly the man's sister.  Rian just hoped the woman had the brains to get out of the way and didn't try to hold her brother back unless she was a lot stronger than she looked.  She knew she and her crew could handle this easily, and didn't want the woman getting caught in the middle and possibly getting hurt.

The first shot went wide, directed up harmlessly to the ceiling by Lomning's lightsaber.  Relus looked a little taken aback when he realized that his opponent was a Jedi but he was drunk enough to be incautious and took a second shot.  Rian whipped her blasters out, though she was loath to start shooting at a drunk man in a cantina.  She wondered what was taking security so long to get involved.  If they didn't step in soon, this had a strong possibility of turning into a brawl.  The soldiers and grounded ship crews were already bored with the forced inactivity and occasional bouts of sheer terror as rakghouls swarmed the walls, and it wouldn't take much for the situation to boil over.

A shout from behind her told Rian that security had waited too long.  It sounded like a couple of the off-duty soldiers had been jockeying for a better vantage point and were now embroiled in a fistfight of their own.  She ignored them, knowing they were more concerned with each other.  She was more worried about the drunk man who was still waving a blaster around.

Lomning was talking in low, quiet tones, trying to calm the man enough to get him to relinquish the blaster, but the fact that the Jedi was a Twi'lek wasn't helping at all in the current situation.  Relus was still ranting about thieving aliens.  Viggota and Jorgan were flanking the Jedi and the Cathar's fur was standing up all along the back of his neck as he glowered at the drunk man.  Come to think of it, Jorgan probably wasn't helping to calm the situation either, since he was one of those "filthy non-Humans"  that Relus was screaming about.  But she doubted she could convince the Cathar to step aside.

Back by the bar, Corso and Xirra appeared from the back room.  "Captain!"  Corso yelled across the room.  The noise level was rapidly rising as the fist fight behind Rian was spreading to more combatants.  The cantina's security had waded in as well, and the melee was growing.  "What's going on?"

"A disagreement,"  she hollered back.  "Stay there!"  Movement caught her eye and she spotted Relus' sister, crouched down and shaking behind her table.  "Hey, you all right?"  Rian called, waving her hand to get the woman's attention.

"Yes,"  she replied shakily.  "I'm so sorry!  I didn't know he'd had so much to drink."

"Don't worry about it right now,"  Rian said, eyeing the standoff between Relus and Lomning.  It looked like the man was about ready to start shooting again, and the woman was very close to the conflict.  "I want you to move, now,"  she said, trying to pitch her voice so that only the woman could hear, and not her enraged brother.  She waved for the woman to join her.  "Come on, quick."

She was shaking, but she pushed herself up into a crouch and scrambled across the space between her table and Rian's.  Rian helped to pull her into cover, just in time.  "Jaymizu!"  the man roared and Rian had to duck as a blaster bolt nearly took off her right _lekku_.  "You traitor!  You're working with them too!  No wonder they knew just where to find our land!"

The woman shrieked, curling into a ball by Rian's knees and breaking into sobs.  "It's okay,"  Rian said, gritting her teeth.  She pushed herself up again and had to throw herself to the side as Relus took another shot at her.  This time she had no compunctions about returning fire.  She squeezed off a pair of bolts as she rolled behind another nearby table.  One went wide and struck the wall behind him but the other scored across the man's right shoulder and he screamed in pain.

It was enough to distract him and Lomning was able to use the Force to pull the blaster from his hand.  Viggota and Jorgan were on him in moments, wrestling him to the ground.  Even as drunk as he was, it took the both of them to contain his rage-fuelled anger.

Once Rian was sure that the two of them had Relus well under control, she turned her attention to the woman.  "Are you all right?"  she asked, holstering her blasters again.  The woman was still curled into a shaking ball behind the table, and Rian approached slowly.  This wasn't really her area of expertise, but with Lomning currently all-but-hauling one of the security personnel across the room, looking like he was berating the man soundly for taking so long to intervene, it looked like Rian would have to deal with this herself.

Xirra and Corso made it there first.  Xirra crouched down beside the woman with no hesitation, carefully putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close.  Corso stood nearby, looking a little uncomfortable with the situation, but also seeming pleased with Xirra's initiative.  Rian was just glad that she didn't have to try to calm the crying woman, and instead surveyed the situation in the rest of the room.

The fight between the off-duty soldiers had mostly been broken up, though there were still a few clusters of chaos as the men and women wrestled with each other but security was quickly breaking it up.  She wasn't entirely sure that the scientists had noticed, though a few of them had moved their chairs closer together so they could hear each other over the noise.  The civilians looked uncomfortable, and most of them had abandoned their tables to cluster together along the far wall.  Some were eyeing Rian's crew warily while a few of the others looked like they might have been making bets on the outcome.  Credits were changing hands at any rate, and Rian rolled her eyes.  There were always those who would take any opportunity to gamble.

"Excuse me, miss!"  called a voice and Rian turned to see an official-looking Human man striding towards her.  He had small round glasses perched on the end of his nose and a fussy-looking moustache.  His dark hair was carefully combed to try to disguise the fact that it was thinning, but it wasn't really working.  He stopped in front of Rian and thrust a datapad at her.  He was several inches shorter than her, and seemed annoyed that he had to look up to meet her eyes.  "Your thumbprint, please."

"Not until you tell me what it's for,"  she said suspiciously.  "And it's Captain, by the way."

He huffed at her, jabbing a finger at the screen.  "You're barred from the cantina for brawling,"  he said.  "Take your men and go.  You're not welcome back."

Rian tilted her head and pinned him with a hard stare.  "Excuse me?"

"It's the rules, miss,"  he replied snootily.

"Captain,"  she corrected again, voice dangerous.  "And I don't see you serving notice to anyone else."

"Well... of course not,"  he replied.  "You discharged a weapon on the premises.  That's grounds for a ban."

"So did he,"  Rian pointed out, jerking her chin towards where Relus was still spewing threats, even pinned down as he was.  "Before I did, I might add."

"I'll thank you not to tell me how to do my job, miss,"  the man sniffed.  "You and your men are barred from the cantina, effective immediately.  Your thumbprint,"  he repeated, thrusting the datapad back at her.

Rian looked down her nose at the fussy little man, taking note of the Lieutenant's stripes on his uniform and the way his eyes kept sliding down over her chest.  She crossed her arms over her breasts and he at least had the grace to look slightly embarrassed at having been caught.  "This is the third time I've had to tell you to call me Captain.  I'm starting to think you're being disrespectful on purpose."

The man rolled his eyes.  "It's not an earned rank.  It means nothing."

She arched her eyebrows at the man.  "You're implying I didn't work for my position?"

He sneered at her, eyes dropping to her chest again.  "Oh, I'm sure you worked _very_ hard,"  he drawled, voice dripping with scorn.

She just rolled her eyes.  It wasn't the first time someone had seen her _lekku_ and assumed she had slept her way into her position, and she was sure it wouldn't be the last.  She was about to demand his name so she could report him when Corso intervened.  The young man pushed aggressively in between Rian and the officious little man and shoved him backwards so hard that he tripped over Relus' overturned chair and dropped his datapad.  "You'd better not be saying what I think you're saying,"  he snarled.  "You don't know her, and you clearly have no idea what it takes to captain a ship."

Rian tensed when the man's hand dropped to the blaster pistol hanging from his belt.  "I'll see you in lockup for that!"  he shouted and she grabbed Corso's arm hastily, swinging the young man around behind her.

"It's not worth it,"  she muttered, one eye on the officer.  He hadn't actually drawn his blaster but she definitely wasn't about to turn her back on him.  "Come on.  I don't want to have to break you out of jail, and I can't afford to cover bail right now.  Let's just go."

"He shouldn't think he can talk to you like that,"  Corso snapped, trying to shrug out of her grip.

"It just means he's not worth our time,"  she soothed.  The officer had backed away and was talking quickly into his comlink.  "We should go, before you get arrested."  She had no desire for Corso to spend any more time in a Republic jail cell than he already had because of his association with her, and who knew how long they would try to keep him.  Even if she agreed that the officer had been asking for it, she doubted that the Republic would take kindly to Corso's actions.

"Corso, come on,"  Xirra said, grabbing his other arm.  "Listen to her.  We need to go."  She sounded worried.  Rian assumed that she wasn't eager for a run-in with the law either.

Rian locked eyes with Lomning and jerked her head towards the exit.  The Jedi nodded and went to collect Viggota and Jorgan, who were supervising the soldiers who were wrestling Relus into a pair of cuffs.  His sister hovered nearby, wringing her hands.  Rian tucked her arm through Corso's and steered him towards the exit.  Xirra followed, hand clasped tight in Corso's.

"Corso just assaulted an officer,"  she told the others as soon as they got outside.  The heat hit her like a physical blow after the relative coolness of the mess hall, and she squinted against the sun.  She shaded her eyes and looked around, but didn't see any soldiers converging on the cantina yet.  "We shouldn't go back to the ship right away.  It'll be too easy for them to find him."

Jorgan looked at the young man incredulously.  "What did you do that for?"  he asked.

Corso just shook his head stubbornly and set his jaw.  "He deserved it."

"We can talk about that later,"  Rian interjected.  "We need to get you out of sight, Farm Boy.  Like I said, I don't have the credits to cover bail right now, and thanks to the quarantine we can't run, and you really don't deserve to go to jail for shoving the guy.  Suggestions, anyone?"

"I doubt they would follow beyond the walls,"  Lomning said and Rian winced.

"I'd hoped no one would suggest that, but you're probably right.  If no one else has anything better, let's get moving."

"Hold up,"  Jorgan said.  "Why not talk to his CO?  If he was out of line about something, that's probably the place to start."

Rian blinked at him.  It wasn't something she would have even considered, but then again she didn't usually have anyone around who was familiar with Army etiquette.  "Do you really think it would work?"  she asked.

"Possibly,"  Viggota replied, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.  "I wasn't close enough to hear what happened."

"He insulted the captain,"  Corso snapped and Rian shook her head.

"Relax, Farm Boy.  That still didn't justify you shoving him.  We can argue later,"  she said when Corso opened his mouth.  "Right now, we  need a plan."

"Well I'm not keen on going out there without my armour,"  Jorgan said.  "I think talking to the base commander is a better idea than facing down rakghouls without proper equipment."

"And if Corso gets arrested?"  Rian challenged.  "Then what?"

"Then we work with the situation as it comes,"  Lomning said.  "I believe that Aric has a good plan.  He and Viggota are familiar with the command structure and the rules and regulations of the Republic Army.  If they believe they can help, then we should let them try."

Rian closed her eyes and rubbed a hand over them.  Three days stuck in this steaming swamp was fraying her temper, and she knew it.  At this point, she'd rather shoot something than try to talk her way out of the situation, but Lomning was right.  If they could fix this by talking to some officer, that really was smarter than taking on a planet full of rakghouls.  "Fine,"  she said, opening her eyes again.  "Let's try it your way.  But we need to get moving, before that Lieutenant gets any backup."

"Let us do the talking,"  Viggota said, catching Rian's elbow before she could stride off towards the base command building.  "I know you're the captain, but Jorgan and I know the system.  All right?"

"You're the experts,"  Rian agreed, though there was definitely a part of her that didn't like the idea much.  She preferred to rely on her own wits, but Viggota was right.  He and Jorgan would know what to say better than she would.  She was used to dealing with civilians, not military.

"You're sure this is going to work?"  Xirra asked, sounding worried.

"No, but I think we've got a good chance,"  Viggota told her.  Rian thought he didn't sound entirely sure, but he did a good job of hiding it for Xirra's sake.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have officially finished this story (barring the beta-ing of the last few chapters). It will be 16 chapters long, and I'll keep up my once-a-week posting schedule until it's finished. I haven't yet started on the sequel, but I have written a couple of Interludes - bits and pieces of the story that happened "off-camera", so to speak. Since this story is entirely from Rian's point of view, there were some other events that I wanted to show that she didn't see, so I couldn't include.
> 
> So I'd like to open it up to suggestions - are there any scenes in this story, or in Event Horizon, that you guys would like to see? Let me know in the comments. I'm not promising that they'll all get written, but I'd love to know what you guys want to see!

The Republic Command building on Taris was a dull grey plasteel building pressed up against one of the walls that surrounded Olaris Spaceport.  A set of broad steps led up to an open door and Viggota and Jorgan led them into the building.  It was dim and cool inside and Rian blotted sweat off her forehead and sighed in relief.

There was an open space just inside the door, with a desk blocking the way further into the building.  A uniformed Human officer with a bald  head sat behind the desk and looked up at their approach.  He made a startled noise and half rose from his seat, hand automatically going for a cane that was leaning against the desk beside him.  "Sir?"

Jorgan's face split into a broad grin and he bounded forward.  He stretched his arm out to clasp wrists with the tall, dark-skinned man.  "Berix!  What are you doing here?"

The tall man laughed delightedly, swapping his cane to his other hand to return Jorgan's gesture.  "Recovering,"  he said ruefully, tapping the cane on the ground.  "Nerve damage in my leg,"  he clarified at Jorgan's questioning look.  "Senflax poisoning, on Cadannia, about three months ago.  I'm told I'll recover fully, I just have to give it time."  He made a face down at his cane and the leg that Rian could see wasn't supporting his full weight.

Jorgan shook his head as he released the man's hand.  "That's rough, Berix.  But it's good to see you anyways.  I kind of lost track of you guys after I left the Deadeyes."

The man smiled, leaning more of his weight against the desk.  "We'll have to have a couple of drinks and catch up, sir.  What are you doing here, anyways?  I thought you were on Ord Mantell, coordinating things against those Seps."

Rian saw the wince that Jorgan tried to hide, though she didn't think that Berix had noticed.  She also noted that he wasn't correcting Berix's assumption that he was still part of the army.  "We're here to see the base commander, actually,"  Viggota interjected before Jorgan could reply.  "Do you think he's got some free time?"

Berix looked from Jorgan to the others, one eyebrow raised.  "Who's this bunch?"  he asked the Cathar.  "Did they put you in charge of another squad?"

Jorgan forced a chuckle.  "Do they look official to you?"  he said, sidestepping the question.  "But we do need to see the base commander.  It's sort of urgent."

The man still looked doubtful, definitely noticing Jorgan's evasiveness.  "Well, I'm sure he'll see you, sir.  I'm surprised you don't know.  It's Torve."

The Cathar lit up.  "Really?  How'd he end up here?  He's not hurt too, is he?  And what happened to the Deadeyes?"

A quick glance around the rest of her crew showed that Rian wasn't the only one lost here.   She knew that the Deadeyes were Jorgan's old squad, a team of snipers that had specialized in decapitation strikes against the officers of enemy units, and it was clear that Berix had been one of Jorgan's men, but just like Jorgan, she wondered what had happened to his old unit.  Despite the example of Havoc squad, it wasn't usual for the Republic to disband successful teams.

"He's the acting commander.  He made Captain last year, and the Deadeyes got assigned here to take out rakghouls and Imps.  But when the base commander got taken by rakghouls last month, Torve got a field promotion to Major.  And Colonel Gaff got arrested last week and dragged back to Coruscant to face a court-martial, so that just left Torve."  Berix shrugged at Jorgan's confused look.  "I don't know the whole story, sir.  I guess some of it's pretty hush-hush."

Jorgan nodded his understanding.  Promotions sometimes happened quickly in situations like this.  Taris wasn't exactly Coruscant, where soldiers angled for advancement for months or years, and few promotions were true surprises.  On dangerous frontier planets, people were lost and anyone who could do the job was promoted into their place.

"Still,"  Berix continued.  "I'm sure he'd be glad to see you, sir.  Let me let him know you're here."  The man sat back down carefully and reached for the comm stud in his ear.  "Major, you've got visitors."  He paused.  "Yes, sir.  But I think you'll want to make the time to see Lieutenant Jorgan, sir."  He grinned and nodded up at Jorgan.  "Yes, sir.  I'll send them right in.  Go ahead through,"  he said as he disconnected the comm line.  He gestured to one of the halls behind him.  "All the way down, last door on the left."

"Much obliged,"  Jorgan said, returning the salute that Berix offered him.  "I'll see you on the way out."

The Cathar led the way down the hall and Rian quickly shushed Corso and Xirra when the girl whispered to Corso to ask what was going on.  "Later,"  Rian hissed in an undertone.  "Let's get things sorted out first, and then we can get the whole story."

The door at the end of the hall was open, and Jorgan rapped his knuckles briskly on the wall beside it to announce their presence.  A black-haired Human man with deeply tanned skin stood from behind a desk that was littered with datapads and moved to the door to meet them.  His uniform jacket was half undone and his hair looked like he had been running his hands through it in frustration but he was grinning broadly at Jorgan.  "Ell-tee!  Fancy seeing you here."  He saluted, which Jorgan and Viggota quickly returned.

"Shouldn't I be the one saluting you, sir?"  Jorgan asked.  There was genuine pleasure on his stern face.  He clearly had liked Torve, and was glad to see him again.

"Actually, I thought I heard that you weren't saluting at all any more,"  Torve said with an arched eyebrow.  "I can't help but think that there must be quite the story behind that."  He waved them in, pulling some folding chairs from a slim closet near the door.  "Sorry, I don't usually have this many visitors at once,"  he explained as Rian's crew helped to set them up.  "I have a meeting room for that.  But please, have a seat."  He slid the door shut and returned to his chair behind the desk.  "Can I get you anything?"

"No, thanks,"  Viggota said, sitting down next to Jorgan.  The rest of the crew settled into a loose semicircle in front of the desk.  "We're here on business, unfortunately."

"This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with that report of an incident in the mess hall?"  Torve's eyes were twinkling, and he laughed outright when Jorgan winced.  "Sorry, news travels fast here.  Lieutenant Muro has already submitted a formal complaint."  Torve rolled his eyes.  "Another one.  So, I'd like to get your side of the story."

Corso drew breath to speak and Rian kicked him lightly on the ankle.  They had agreed to let Jorgan and Viggota handle this.  And Jorgan being on good terms with the base commander certainly wouldn't hurt their cause any.

"Well, sir, I didn't directly see the incident with Lieutenant Muro, so someone else will have to provide that part of the story, but I can explain the lead-up to it,"  Jorgan said, sitting ramrod straight in his chair.

"I think we can dispense with the 'sir' part,"  Torve said with a wave of his hand.  "Just go ahead."

Jorgan looked like he was about to argue, but just shook his head.  Military command structure was still deeply ingrained in the former soldier.  "As we were finishing our lunch, we could hear a Human civilian at a nearby table complaining to his dining companion about aliens stealing his land.  Riggs and Xirra were not at the table at the time,"  he said, indicating Corso and Xirra,  "And that left several non-Humans sitting directly in his line of sight.  He seemed to be intoxicated, and turned his anger on us.  Lomning tried to diffuse the situation, though he was unsuccessful, and the civilian drew a blaster pistol.  At this point, Captain Tsel'rianeen attempted to get the man's dining companion to a safer location.  He took this as an indication that his dining companion was in league with us 'aliens', and opened fire.  Captain Tsel'rianeen returned fire, striking him in the upper arm.  Lomning was able to use this distraction to take the man's weapon, and Viggota and I were able to subdue him until security arrived."

Torve nodded thoughtfully, sorting through the datapads on his desk.  "I don't have that report yet,"  he said.  Lieutenant Muro seems to have been much quicker than the security team to submit his report."

"I assume Muro is the short guy with the bad comb-over?"  Rian asked, watching as Torve's lips quirked upwards at her description.  "He approached me while Vig and Jorgan were taking care of the drunk guy.  He continually refused to address me as Captain, despite my repeated requests, and advised me that we were barred from the cantina because I had drawn a weapon."

"You must be one of the independent ship captains that's been stuck here,"  Torve said, glancing at Rian to see her nod.  "Why wouldn't he address you as Captain?"

"He said it was because it wasn't an earned rank, and strongly implied that I had slept my way into the position,"  Rian said.  Beside her, she could tell that Corso was fuming.  "I was about to ask for his name to report the incident when one of my crew members took offense to Muro's insinuations and gave him a shove.  Muro tripped over a chair and dropped his datapad, but didn't seem injured."  She shrugged.  "And that's when we left, and came to report the incident to you on Jorgan's recommendation.  Oh, and I would also like to put in a formal complaint about Lieutenant Muro's conduct.  I found him to be rude and condescending.  He insulted me to my face and blatantly suggested that I didn't actually earn my position and my ship."

"Acknowledged,"  Torve said, making a notation on one of his datapads.  "You understand that I will need to collect witness statements?  Lieutenant Muro is asking to have that young man arrested,"  he said, pointing at Corso.  "Or at least I feel safe in assuming it's you,"  he added.  "His report said a dark-skinned Human man with dreadlocks, who he last saw in the company of a blue Twi'lek female.  He's choosing to press assault charges."

"Really?"  Jorgan said with a wince.

"I wouldn't worry too much about it,"  Torve said, leaning back in his chair.  "If I'm counting right, I think this is the eighth official complaint that's been lodged against Lieutenant Muro since I've been here.  It will still need to be investigated, of course, but the man has a talent for antagonizing people."

"Do they all assault him, though?"  Viggota asked dryly.

"Not usually,"  Torve replied with a laugh.  "And you're right, that's going to make this trickier.  But if you can just lay low for a bit, I can probably smooth this over."

"Ugh, we're going to be stuck on the ship, aren't we?"  Corso sighed.  "Uh, not that it's not a nice ship,"  he added hastily when he caught Rian's raised eyebrow.  "It's just... awfully small to be stuck on while we're actually planet-side and not doing anything."

"I understood,"  Rian said with a grin.  "And I agree with you.  But we don't really have a lot of other choices."

"Well, if you don't mind a bit of danger, I might have something else you could do during the investigation,"  Torve offered casually.  Rian gave him a hard look.  Knowing the planet they were on, she doubted it was a 'bit' of danger.

"What exactly are you proposing?"  Jorgan asked suspiciously.

"Look,"  Torve said, leaning forward.  "You'd be helping me out.  My to-do list basically encompasses the whole planet, and I don't have nearly enough troops to do everything that needs doing.  I've got the planetary government, the brass, and hordes of colonists breathing down my neck.  If you help me out here, we'll both get something out of the deal.  It'll look good on an official report that you volunteered to help with the reclamation project, and I'll get some stuff crossed off my list.  And it will keep you away from Lieutenant Muro while the investigation is going on, without forcing you to be confined to your ship."

Jorgan looked over at Rian, and she shrugged slightly.  "We'll need a little more information,"  she told Torve.

"Of course,"  he said, digging through his stacks of datapads again.  "I've got a dozen things you could help out with.  I mean, you're working with Jorgan, so you guys must be pretty competent.  How are you at data recovery?"

"Depends what it entails,"  Rian drawled.  "Specifics, man.  Come on."

Torve laughed and handed her one of the datapads.  "How much do you know about the history of Taris?"

"A bit,"  Viggota said, leaning back in his chair.  "I know it was a city-planet, like Coruscant.  It was bombarded by the Sith three hundred years ago."

"They were trying to kill a Jedi,"  Jorgan interjected.  "They destroyed a whole planet to try to get one woman.  Billions of people were killed.  And they still failed."

Torve nodded.  "Exactly.  The planet was conquered by the Sith during the Jedi Civil War.  There was a great big battle in orbit, and one of the ships in the battle was carrying a Jedi that the Sith were trying to capture.  Her ship was crippled, and the crew abandoned the ship.  The escape pods that weren't destroyed by the Sith fleet landed on Taris.  The Sith locked down the whole planet to try to find her but when they couldn't, they ordered the bombardment instead."

Rian shook her head incredulously.  She wasn't exactly a student of military history, and had never heard the story before.  "That's ridiculous.  But what does this have to do with us?"

"That ship, the _Endar Spire_ , actually survived long enough to record the whole bombardment,"  Torve said.  "It was heavily damaged, but its orbit held up long enough for that.  It actually crashed after the destruction of Taris.  Survey teams have found the ship.  It's surprisingly mostly intact, and Republic Command is keen to see how much of its memory core has survived."

"Really?"  Rian asked sceptically.  "They're that interested in three hundred year old data logs?"

Torve shrugged.  "I don't ask questions.  It's marked as a high priority, so I'm trying to juggle my resources to get it done."

"It could be strategically important,"  Jorgan rumbled thoughtfully.  "There aren't generally a lot of recordings of orbital bombardments.  Generally, when that happens there aren't any friendly ships left in orbit, or any recording equipment.  And anything on the surface is usually too badly damaged or destroyed to get good information from.  Besides, recordings from orbit would be completely different than any ground-based logs."

"Well, if you think so,"  Rian said slowly, looking back down at the datapad in her hand.  It showed the location of the Endar Spire relative to Olaris Spaceport.  It wasn't too far, but she didn't know what the terrain was like outside the walls.  "Okay, so what's the deal?"

"Get to the _Endar Spire_ , and see how intact it is.  Everything we managed to get from our long-range scans are on there,"  Torve said, nodding to the datapad.  "Download any of their data logs that you can get, and bring them back.  I'll deal with the investigation here, and keep you apprised of the situation."  He laced his hands together on his desk.  "What do you think?"

"I think that if we're working for you, we'll need a little more than that,"  Jorgan told him.  "At the very least, you should provision and outfit us just like you would for one of your own squads."

"Are you saying you don't have your own gear?"  Torve asked sceptically.

The Cathar shrugged.  "I'm saying that you shouldn't expect us to expend our own resources to do you a favour.  We could easily stay on the ship and not have to worry about lugging food, water, and medical supplies around in a swamp.  Or about getting turned into rakghouls."

Rian was surprised to hear Jorgan negotiating on their behalf, but he was doing quite a decent job so far.  She wasn't sure how things usually worked in the Republic Army, but the Cathar was right.  Soldiers weren't required to provide their own food and gear for maneuvers.

"Fine, you've got a point,"  Torve said with a sigh.  "But honestly, there's nothing I can do about the rakghoul plague.  If you get infected, you're on your own.  We don't have a cure, or even an effective treatment.  You start to turn, and you're not welcome in the base.  The patrols by the river will shoot you on sight."

Xirra made a small noise of distress, and Corso reached over to squeeze her hand tightly.  Jorgan looked over at the two of them and then back at Torve.  "That's fair,"  he rumbled.  "I don't want to be responsible for infecting anyone else."

"Then do we have a deal?  We'll give you enough food and water to make it to the _Endar Spire_ and back - with extra, of course,"  Torve said before Jorgan could speak up.  "I don't know how long it'll take you to retrieve the data logs.  "I'll also try to clear up the situation with Lieutenant Muro.  In return, you'll bring back any information you're able to retrieve."

"We'll also need some gear,"  Jorgan rumbled.  "Xirra hasn't got any armour, and there's no way she's leaving these walls without it."  Rian nodded her approval.  Xirra was integrating well with the crew, but she definitely wasn't about to leave the girl unguarded on her ship while the rest of them went to find the _Endar Spire_ , and she certainly wasn't leaving anyone behind to watch her either.  There was no telling what they would face out there, and leaving someone behind when they might need the firepower wasn't the best idea.

"Sensible,"  Torve said, giving the girl an assessing look.  "We should have something that'll fit her.  I'll get Berix to send you to see the quartermaster."

Jorgan glanced at Rian, who nodded.  She wasn't thrilled with the idea of taking on rakghouls, but it beat being stuck shipboard for however much longer this quarantine lasted.  Corso was right.  She loved the _Event Horizon_ , but being essentially trapped on her while they were dirt-side and there wasn't anything to do on board wasn't her idea of a good time.  Jorgan had done a good job in negotiating with Torve, and she was pleased with the outcome.  And if the major could smooth over the situation without Corso landing in a jail cell, so much the better.

"Deal,"  the Cathar said, standing to clasp hands with his former squad mate.

"I appreciate the help, Jorgan,"  Torve said, standing with a smile.  "I just don't have the manpower to get this done, but the brass is pushing hard for it.  It'll be good to get them off my back about at least one thing."

"Welcome to command,"  Jorgan said dryly, and Torve laughed.

"I'm starting to wish I hadn't accepted the promotion,"  he said with a rueful shake of his head.  "Once this is all sorted, I want to try to find the time to hear all about just what happened!"  He tapped his rank insignia.  "It's crazy, seeing you out of uniform."

Jorgan's smile froze on his face and Rian held her breath for a moment.  She knew the Cathar was still touchy about the way things had gone down.  "Sure,"  he finally said.  "It's quite the story, though."

"I bet it would have to be,"  Torve said, shaking his head again.  The comm unit on his desk beeped and he groaned.  "Sorry to kick you guys out, but duty calls.  I'll send a message to the quartermaster to tell her to expect you.  Berix can show you where you need to go."

"Thanks, Torve,"  Jorgan said as the others stood.  "It was good to see you again."

"You too, Jorgan,"  Torve said with a genuine smile.  Rian nodded to him, datapad tucked under her arm, and led the way back out into the hall.

*****

"Duck,"  Lomning said, voice strained.  Rian threw herself flat, uncaring of the damp ground beneath her.  A twisted lump of moss-covered plasteel and duracrete that had once been part of a building flew over her head and slammed into the middle of the clump of rakghouls that had ambushed them.  There was a sickening wet crunch as at least one of the creatures was crushed beneath the weight of the debris, but there were still nearly a dozen of them trying to get closer.

Viggota, Jorgan, and Corso had their big guns out and the three of them formed a rough triangle in front of Rian, who was trying to find some cover that didn't leave her hip-deep in the swamp, and Lomning, who was shielding Xirra and himself and occasionally throwing chunks of debris at any rakghoul that got close enough.  At least he had plenty of ammunition to hand, though most of it was half-buried under thick vegetation.

Rian wished they had had a little more warning about this pack of rakghouls, but she had barely even had time to draw her blasters before she and her crew had been swarmed.  Lomning had pushed them back with the Force, giving the soldiers time to ready their assault cannons, but Rian wished they could have found a spot with better cover, or with a sniper nest for Jorgan.

One of the rakghouls had managed to dodge enough shots that it was about to close with Viggota.  The big soldier's assault cannon wasn't great for close-range fighting so Rian rolled up onto one knee and snapped off a quick pair of shots that rocked the creature's head back an instant before its claws reached Viggota's armour.  The big man took a step backwards and unloaded his cannon into the rakghoul's chest and the creature slumped to the ground, unmoving.

All of the gossip Rian had managed to gather about the rakghouls had prepared her for how fast and vicious they were, but not how tough.  It was taking several shots to down each one of them and with the way the creatures were shrieking and chattering, she was worried that they would draw more rakghouls to their location.

At least they didn't seem to have a very good grasp of tactics.  The whole pack tended to rush straight forward, right into the line of fire.  None of them were circling around to where Rian and Lomning were guarding their rear, which was a good thing.  This rough path through the swamp left them horribly exposed.

Corso clicked a fresh power pack into his rifle and charged up the meter to let off a powerful shot.  He caught one of the rakghouls square in the centre of mass as the grey-skinned beast scuttled forward and the creature shrieked as it died.

Rian did a quick count.  There were still eight rakghouls that were being held off by the threat of blaster fire, but she knew it wouldn't be long before they charged again.  "Grenades?"  she called to Viggota and Jorgan.  "Let's try to get them clustered up tighter."

"Sounds good,"  Viggota said, unclipping one from his belt.  "Do you want it?  I need both hands here."  Rian tucked Flashy back into its holster and darted forward to grab the grenade from Viggota's outstretched hand.  As if her movement was a signal, the remaining rakghouls howled and charged them again.

Lomning threw up a hurried Force shield before the creatures overran their line, and Rian hastily primed the grenade.  She set the countdown for three seconds, and ducked back into the meagre cover of a low-growing shrub that clung tenaciously to a bit of solid ground.  "Everyone ready?"  she asked, aiming her pistol with her free hand.

"Good to go, Captain,"  Corso shouted.  Grunts of assent from the two soldiers were enough.

"Drop it, Lomning!"  she yelled, arm already drawn back to throw.  The grenade arced through the air the instant the Force shield went down, and Lomning snapped it back into place the moment it was past his guard.  "Everyone brace yourselves!"

The explosion was very loud, nearly drowning out the shrieks of the rakghouls as it shredded through their bodies.  Lomning's Force shield and the shield generators on Viggota, Jorgan, and Corso's armour kept Rian's crew from taking any serious harm but the rakghouls weren't so lucky.  The grenade blast had downed most of them, even if several of them were still moving sluggishly.  But it was now easy for Rian and her crew to pick off the injured and disoriented creatures.

"Is everyone all right?"  Lomning asked, sounding a little out of breath.  He checked over each of his companions in turn, and Rian was relieved to see that no one had gotten bitten or scratched.

"We should keep moving,"  Jorgan said as he checked over his assault cannon.  "That wasn't exactly quiet, and I don't know how rakghouls will react to all the noise."

"I agree,"  Rian said, rubbing ineffectually at the mud on the knees of her trousers.  Nothing short of a sonic scrub was going to get it out, so she gave up on it for the moment.  "We're not too far from the _Endar Spire_ , from what I can tell.  The terrain is a bit worse than I'd expected from the survey map, but I think we're getting close."

"We should be able to find a defensible position there, depending what shape she's in,"  Viggota said.  He had pushed his faceplate up once the battle was over.  He, Jorgan, and Corso were luckier than Rian, Lomning, and Xirra.  Their heavy armour had built-in cooling units, but Rian was suffering even in her lighter gear.  Torve's quartermaster had found something similar for Xirra, and the girl was red-faced and sweating.  Even Lomning looked a little uncomfortable in the heat.

"Everyone ready to go?"  Rian asked, giving her crew the once-over.  They all nodded, though Xirra looked like she was more than ready for a break.  Still, she was hanging in there, doggedly keeping herself next to Lomning no matter the terrain.  "Let's go.  Hopefully we can rest once we reach the _Endar Spire_ , but we're not safe here."  Xirra nodded her understanding, setting her jaw firmly.  "Good.  Let's move."

Rian let Viggota and Jorgan lead the way.  The two soldiers worked well together, communicating mostly with hand gestures and possibly telepathy, Rian thought wryly, given how in sync they were.  Corso brought up the rear, with Rian, Lomning, and Xirra in the middle.  The faint path they were following was damp and muddy, but so far no one had ended up in the swamp.

All around them, gnarled trees grew up out of the wet ground.  Some of them were little more than skeletal husks, draped with grey-green moss, but others were thick with leaves.  Vines crawled up around the trunks and branches.  In some parts, the leaves blocked out the sky and turned the shadows under them almost as dark as twilight.  It was hard to believe that this planet had once rivalled Coruscant, though Rian could see evidence everywhere of the buildings that had once dominated.  The Sith bombardment had taken its toll, and most of them were little more than crumbled chunks of duracrete, most of it almost completely covered with moss and vines.  It made for treacherous footing, and she watched her feet carefully, while still trying to keep an eye out for other threats.

Dangerous as they were, rakghouls were far from the only threat on Taris.  Animals from across the galaxy had been imported to Taris to populate zoos and exhibits to entertain the wealthy residents.  The Sith bombardment had killed many of them, but some had escaped and bred in the ruins of the world-city.  Rian had heard reports of nexu cat packs and akk dogs, in addition to the native Tarisian ferrazid hounds competing with the rakghouls.

Up ahead, Viggota signalled a halt with a raised fist.  Rian was always impressed that he could still balance his assault cannon with just one hand.  She slipped forward to join him and Jorgan.  "What is it?"

"I think we've found what we're looking for,"  Viggota said, sliding his faceplate up.

The wreckage of the _Endar Spire_ lay in a shallow valley beneath them, with an actual trickle of a stream running through the middle of it.  It disappeared under the edge of the ship, but Rian couldn't tell if it went underneath it, or through it.  The scars of its hard landing were still visible, even three hundred years later and through the thick growth of plants that was slowly reclaiming the cruiser.  It looked like the valley itself had been carved by the crash landing.  The ship had landed mostly upright, though parts of the hull had buckled and twisted.  Vines had forced their way into every crevice and had cracked parts of the ship open to the warm, damp air.

Rian ran a practiced eye over the wreckage.  For a three hundred year old wreck, it was in surprisingly good condition.  She knew it had crashed after the Sith bombardment so it had missed that damage, but it must have been sheltered from the worst of the elements in this little valley as well.

There were fewer trees around the downed ship than there were on the edges of the valley, so Rian had a good look at the rakghouls that surrounded it.  She counted at least a dozen at first glance, though there could have been more on the other side of the _Endar Spire_ , or even inside it.  Thankfully, they hadn't noticed her or her crew yet, so they would have and opportunity to set things up more to their liking.

"What are you thinking?"  Jorgan asked.

Rian could hear the others coming up behind them to look down into the valley.  "I think it's our turn for an ambush."


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have officially finished this story (barring the beta-ing of the last few chapters). It will be 16 chapters long, and I'll keep up my once-a-week posting schedule until it's finished. I haven't yet started on the sequel, but I have written a couple of Interludes - bits and pieces of the story that happened "off-camera", so to speak. Since this story is entirely from Rian's point of view, there were some other events that I wanted to show that she didn't see, so I couldn't include.
> 
> So I'd like to open it up to suggestions - are there any scenes in this story, or in Event Horizon, that you guys would like to see? Let me know in the comments. I'm not promising that they'll all get written, but I'd love to know what you guys want to see!

Watching Jorgan work with his sniper rifle was a thing of beauty. He and Viggota had made a nest in the top remaining floor of a crumbling building that stood at the edge of the trough that held the _Endar Spire_. The structure was still more than sturdy enough to hold both heavily-armoured soldiers and their gear, and Rian revised her opinion of the long-dead architects. Even a Sith bombardment and three hundred years of decay hadn't been enough to completely destroy the building. Rian was on the floor below them with Corso, Lomning, and Xirra. The four of them were the first line of defense, should any rakghouls become aware of their presence.

Their sniper post was about a kilometre from the _Endar Spire_ , with a field of view that encompassed the entire valley. Rian had clambered out one of the windows to clear away the worst of the vines that blocked their line of sight. Corso had chewed on his lip the whole time, worried that she would fall, but there were more than enough handholds in the crumbling duracrete to make it safe enough for her purposes.

Even though she couldn't see them right now, she knew that Viggota and Jorgan were both stretched out on their stomachs, Viggota with a pair of binoculars, and Jorgan with his Watchman. Viggota was the spotter, calling out targets and keeping an eye on anything that might affect Jorgan's shots. She heard one of them shuffling around above her, then Viggota called down. "We're ready up here. Just give the word."

Rian grinned fiercely. "Hit 'em."

The retort of Jorgan's sniper rifle echoed loudly through the building, making Xirra squeak in surprise. Rian kept her eyes trained on the rakghouls around the _Endar Spire_ and her grin widened when one of them fell suddenly, a blaster bolt in its skull. The others jerked in surprise, sniffing at the air and scrambling around the downed rakghoul. Jorgan shot again, and a second one dropped.

Rian had initially thought that rakghouls were mindless beasts, working solely on instinct, no matter what the rumours at Olaris Spaceport said. But watching the rest of the pack turn unerringly towards the building that sheltered them was eerie.

Even still, the creatures weren't clever enough to dodge and Jorgan was able to kill the rest of them before they closed the distance to their hideout. He hadn't missed a shot, even with the creatures racing towards them at top speed. He was grinning when he and Viggota rejoined the others. "If only the Imps were that dumb," he said with a chuckle. The Watchman was racked neatly beside his assault cannon again.

"That was amazing!" Corso crowed. "I can't believe you got them all!"

Jorgan ducked his head slightly at the praise, but his smile didn't waver. Rian clapped him firmly on the shoulder. "Good shooting, Ace," she teased. "I'm glad we found you that gun."

"Thanks, Captain," he said, sounding pleased.

She smiled at him and turned back to her crew. "There might be more in the area," she warned. "So I want everyone to keep their eyes open. Is anyone familiar with the design of this ship?" She glanced around, but everyone was shaking their heads except Xirra, who looked like she wanted to speak up but wasn't sure how well it would be received. She was twisting her hands together in front of her and opened her mouth once before quickly closing it again. "Xirra?"

The girl looked startled when everyone turned to look at her, and blushed furiously. "A little bit, maybe? I mean, it's a three hundred year old ship, but it's similar in design to some modern cruisers, so I should at least be able to figure out where the bridge might be."

"Good," Rian said approvingly. "That's probably the first place we should check, unless it's clear that it's been too heavily damaged. I wouldn't even know where to start looking for the secondary computer core."

"Me neither," Xirra agreed. "Ship design has just changed too much since then."

"Then let's go," Rian said, jerking her head towards the stairs. "Before any more rakghouls move in to fill the void."

*****

They made it to the _Endar Spire_ without incident and easily found a gap in the hull big enough to climb through. The inside of the ship was dark and hot, the air pressing in close. There was enough light coming in through the rents in the outer hull at the moment, but the deeper they got into the ship, the darker it was going to be. Viggota, Jorgan, and Corso switched on the headlamps on their armour and Lomning drew his lightsaber to let the golden glow augment the harsher white light of the lamps.

"I want armour front and rear," Viggota said, peering down the hall. The floor was buckled in places and the footing looked treacherous. "We'll be at a disadvantage in here, if we run across more rakghouls. Rian, Lomning, Xirra, you guys stay in the middle."

Xirra looked pale in the mingled light, and Rian thought she might be shaking. "It'll be fine," she told the girl quietly, squeezing her shoulder with one hand. "We'll keep you safe." Xirra nodded, though she didn't look convinced. "Let's get moving. Which way should we go?"

Following Xirra's directions, Rian and her crew made their slow and cautious way through the ruined ship. The damage became slightly less severe as they climbed up a few decks, the keel having taken the brunt of the impact. The interior of the ship was as black as deep space, and the lamps and Lomning's lightsaber cast strange shadows as they moved.

Thanks to the lack of light, there wasn't anything growing this deep in the ship, despite the hot and damp air. Even still, Rian could see the occasional claw mark on a console or doorway, so she knew the rakghouls had been in here at some point. She was on high alert, blasters in her hands, even though she didn't currently hear any sign that there were any nearby.

Xirra's voice was barely above a whisper as she gave her directions, and she was so close to Lomning that she was almost walking on his heels. Rian was behind her, with Corso bringing up the rear, and Viggota and Jorgan on point. They climbed steadily, mostly using the ladders in the emergency access hatches to move between the decks since there was obviously no power to the lifts. If the _Endar Spire_ had a similar layout to modern cruisers, Xirra thought the bridge was probably near the top of the ship, and forward of the midpoint.

Rian had been keeping track of the deck markings as they went, and they were on the second deck, probably almost directly below the bridge, when the attack came. She hadn't seen any sign of rakghouls for the past three decks and had relaxed her guard somewhat. The corridor was wide enough here, and mostly undamaged, so she had dropped back to walk alongside Corso. Even with his helmet hiding his face, she knew that he was worried about Xirra and was probably more focused on her than he should be, so she wanted to make sure there was another set of eyes watching the rear.

The rakghouls dropped out of the ceiling with the sound of rending metal. It hadn't even occurred to her that they might have been in the conduits, but their twisted, partly quadrupedal forms meant they were definitely short enough to be able to move comfortably in the larger vents. There were only three, but one of them landed heavily on Rian, knocking her to the ground. She lost her grip on one of her blasters and heard it go skittering away across the decking.

Xirra screamed, and Rian could hear shouts and blaster fire as her crew responded to the threat, but she was too busy trying to keep the rakghoul's teeth away from her throat to respond. The creature's breath was foul and hot on her face, and its weight heavy on her chest. She could feel its claws pressing against her legs and abdomen and hoped her armour would hold. She braced her free arm against its throat, pushing up with all her strength, and pressed Flashy against its chest. It had her arm pinned down and the angle was awkward, but she pulled the trigger anyways. She could feel the heat of the shot with the blaster jammed awkwardly between her chest and the rakghoul, but she would keep shooting as long as her power pack held up if she had to. Better a blaster burn than the rakghoul plague.

The creature screeched with pain, jerking backwards and then slamming back into Rian before she had the chance to pull away. Its teeth closed on her shoulder and she screamed. But now her hand was free. She shot the thing point-blank in the face three times before it finally let go.

She had to drop her blaster to shove the corpse away, since pain lanced down her left arm when she tried to move it. She could feel blood welling from her shoulder and she fought against panic. She vowed she would sooner take her own life than change into one of those things.

Suddenly, the weight on her chest was gone as Jorgan heaved the rakghoul off her and tossed it away. "Lomning!" he shouted, panic in his voice when he saw the mess the creature had made of her shoulder. "Get over here, now!" Jorgan dropped to a knee beside her, holding her down when she tried to sit up. "Don't move," he growled, snapping his faceplate up with his free hand. He looked worried.

"Is everyone okay?" she asked shakily as the Jedi knelt on her other side. His brow creased as he took in the damage and he pressed one hand carefully to her injured shoulder, the other holding his lightsaber to the side where its light wouldn't shine directly in her eyes.

"They are fine," Lomning replied soothingly. "Viggota and Jorgan got the other two before they could attack. Xirra is shaken up, but she is unharmed."

Rian nodded, gasping as Lomning went to work. She could feel her flesh knitting under his power, and wondered if even a Jedi's healing was good enough to stop the rakghoul plague.

"Is she going to be all right?" Jorgan asked, the sharp angles of his face deeply shadowed by Lomning's lightsaber. "Is she infected?"

"I do not know," Lomning said, looking down at Rian in concern. "I do not know enough about this plague to say whether or not I can stop before it can take hold."

"What do you mean?" the Cathar asked sharply. "Can't Jedi heal this sort of thing?"

"I spoke with the Masters who are here on Taris," Lomning said, helping Rian to her feet. "They have not had success in reversing the plague once it has started to change the victim. They have had the opportunity to heal someone who was bitten but was not yet showing symptoms, but as they were out in the field at the time and not in a controlled environment where tests could be done, they are not sure if the victim was one of the lucky ones who did not become infected, or if their healing had been successful. And obviously no one has volunteered to try it again so that proper testing can be done."

"Obviously," Rian agreed, carefully rotating her shoulder. It felt good as new, though the torn edges of her armoured jacket rubbed against her skin, and the fabric was wet with blood. "How long do I have?" she asked.

"Some hours yet," Lomning said, watching her with a critical eye. "A fever is the first obvious symptom." He looked around and dropped his voice. "The change is imminent when you notice bleeding from your eyes, mouth, and nose."

Rian made a face at the thought of that happening to her, but it was good to know. She would have some warning, before it was too late. "Then let's keep moving. I want to get finished here and back to the spaceport before anything happens."

"What?" Jorgan grabbed Rian's arm before she could move to find her blasters. "No way. We're heading back now. You need treatment."

"I agree," Corso said, from where he was standing with Xirra. He had his faceplate up and had stripped one glove off so he could hold the girl's hand. Xirra was pale and scared-looking as she chewed nervously at her lip. "We should go back. You should get checked out."

"I'm fine," Rian said shortly. "There isn't any treatment, Jorgan. Either I get lucky and I'm not infected, or I'm dead."

The Cathar snarled but dropped her arm and stalked away a few paces. "We can't just ignore it!" he said, turning to face her again. "You might be infected!"

"Maybe," Rian said, fighting back a shiver at the thought. "And if it turns out that I am, I'll deal with that when we know for sure."

"Rian, no," Viggota said, shaking his head. "You don't need to do that."

"I won't ask anyone else to do it," she said, lifting her chin stubbornly.

"Captain!" Corso yelped, finally realizing what she meant. "I won't let you kill yourself!" Xirra made a noise of distress, but Lomning put a supportive hand on Rian's back.

"We will help, if you need us to," the Jedi said, and Rian leaned carefully against him.

"Thanks, Lomning," she said quietly. It was good to know that he understood her decision, and supported it. She had spent enough of her life letting others control her. She had promised herself a long time ago that she would never lose control of her life again. This wasn't exactly what she had had in mind, but she wasn't going to let this plague turn her into a monster.

"We can't just ignore this," Jorgan repeated stubbornly.

"We're not," Rian said. "We're finishing this job, and then I'll deal with it if I need to." She scrubbed a hand hard over her face and shook her head. "Look, I don't like this either. But there's nothing that we can do about it. Either I'll be fine, or I won't. But I'm not leaving this job unfinished, and I'm not leaving you guys out here in the middle of nowhere. I'll get you back to the spaceport, even if I can't go with you."

Corso shook his head mutely, looking horrified, but he couldn't seem to find any words. Xirra clutched tighter at his hand, tears shining in her eyes. Lomning and Viggota were also visibly upset but seemed to have accepted her decision. It was only Jorgan who looked like he wanted to keep arguing. Rian just shook her head again and turned her back on him to go find her blasters. She wasn't as cool about this as she was pretending to be, but what she had said was true. There wasn't anything she could do about it, other than finish the job, and get her crew back safely. Either she would be able to go with them, or not. Nothing she did now would change anything.

She picked up Flashy from beside the corpse of the rakghoul that had bitten her, and Viggota silently handed over her second blaster. It had skittered down the corridor to rest against one of the bulkheads. He looked her over carefully and she shrugged at him, not really having anything more to say. He nodded in response then snapped his faceplate shut and moved back to the front of the group.

Everyone kept a careful eye out above them as they continued on their way, but they made it to the bridge without incident. It had been spared most of the worst damage, and it looked eerie in the dim light from their headlamps and Lomning's lightsaber. The main doors were open, and without power they would stay that way, but the secondary hatches were all sealed. Viggota and Jorgan made a quick circuit of the bridge and pronounced it clear, so Rian holstered her blasters. It was up to her, Corso, and Xirra now.

Torve had provided them with a portable generator with the hope that they might be able to power up the main computer and download the data, but in the case that they weren't able to get the generator to work with a three hundred year old computer system, they would physically pull the core and bring it back to the spaceport for the Republic's techs to work on. Rian was hoping for the first outcome. The computer core was large and heavy, and she didn't relish the idea of someone having to carry that through the swamp while trying to avoid rakghouls.

The main computer core was housed at the rear of the bridge and Rian started popping panels free to get at the relays. A few of them were stubborn, the catches rusted shut, and she had to get help pulling them off. Viggota and Jorgan stayed at the main entrance to the bridge, assault cannons out and ready, while Corso and Lomning helped to expose the core.

Torve had sent a whole bag full of various connectors and extra cables, since he wasn't sure what sort would work with the _Endar Spire_ 's computer. Xirra was sorting through them, discarding some and tweaking others until she had something she thought might work. Rian wondered if the girl even knew that she muttered to herself while she worked, whispering encouragement and muttering imprecations to the components as she hooked them up. Rian had to bite back a grin, and she caught Corso looking at Xirra with a somewhat sappy smile. The kid might be completely lovestruck but even Rian had to admit it was kind of adorable. Most of the cables had started to degrade with age and the damp air of the Tarisian swamp, but Torve had sent them with more than enough to replace the damaged ones. Xirra finally nodded her readiness and Rian powered up the generator and crossed her fingers.

With a hum that was so low as to be barely audible, the _Endar Spire_ 's ancient computer core hummed to life. Lights blinked on a few of the bridge consoles, but their small generator didn't have enough juice to power them properly.

Corso whooped with glee and plugged his portable terminal in. As the better slicer, Rian had put him in charge of the data transfer, but she kept a close eye over his shoulder as he worked. She was always keen to learn more slicing techniques. It took Corso the better part of twenty minutes, but he was eventually able to slice through the security locks on the data and start the download. "It's going to take some time, Captain," he said quietly. "There's a lot here."

Rian nodded. Torve had told them to download everything they could. The data on the bombardment was the top priority to his superiors, but any information would be valuable. "Get what you can," she told him, leaving him to his work. He and Xirra settled down with their backs braced against the panels beside the exposed core, heads bent together over the datapad's monitor. Lomning stayed nearby, though Rian kept noticing that he was watching her as she wandered absently around the still and silent bridge.

She didn't feel any different - no fever, no dizziness or nausea, no tingling in her extremities, or desire to attack and devour her crew. She rubbed her hands together and pressed them against her stomach. Would she know, if she changed? Would she remember anything of who she had been? Or would she be a near-mindless beast, concerned only with food? She shivered, and wrapped her arms around her torso, wishing she had more answers. But they didn't exactly have a portable blood lab out here that would give her what she needed.

"You all right?" Viggota asked quietly from behind her. She turned to see that Jorgan still stood guard at the main door to the bridge. Lomning had joined him to let Viggota talk to Rian.

"Not really," she said with a sigh. "I don't feel anything yet, but I'm worried." She kept her voice down, though Corso was watching the two of them surreptitiously over the top of his datapad.

"It'll be fine," Viggota said encouragingly.

"You can't know that," she said, shaking her head.

"No, but I refuse to accept the alternative," he said with a shrug. "So I'm keeping positive."

She gave him a wan smile and leaned her hip against one of the consoles. "Thanks. How are you with this? And the others?"

"Not good, obviously," he replied, hooking his thumbs into his belt. "I don't think anyone's okay with this. It's going to affect them, on the way back."

Rian grimaced. She had been worried about that. "I trust you to keep them in line," she said with a faint smile.

Viggota hesitated for a few minutes before going on. "Have you put any thought to what will happen, after? If you change?"

"I won't change," Rian said, tapping her blasters meaningfully. "But I know what you mean. My ship, you guys." She shook her head. "I just don't know. The ship will be Corso's; he's the first mate. But... I don't think he's ready to be a captain. Not by himself, anyways." She looked down, blinking hard. She didn't like the idea of losing her ship permanently, or of it being sold to a stranger.

"I'd stick with him," Viggota said. "I agree, there's no way he can do it on his own, not yet. He has too much to learn still. I don't know how much of a help I would be, but I'll stay with him, if he wants me to."

Rian had to rub her eyes at that, heart lurching painfully in her chest. She knew that the arrangement with Viggota and Jorgan was temporary at the moment, a trial period before making a final decision if they would stay, or return to the army, but hearing Viggota state his decision now wasn't something she was ready for. "That... means a lot, thanks," she finally said, once she thought she could control her voice.

"I don't know about Jorgan," Viggota admitted, looking away to give her a chance to compose herself. "I think he wants to stay, as things are now, but if it changed?" He shrugged. "I don't know."

"I think Lomning would help Corso out too, if he could." Rian glanced over to where Lomning was talking quietly with Jorgan at the door. "And I assume Xirra would stay."

"She's gotten pretty close with him, hasn't she?" Viggota asked with a smile. "I'm glad."

"Me too," Rian admitted, surprising herself a little. "I think they'll be good for each other." She lapsed into silence, listening to the faint murmur of conversation from across the bridge and the steady drone of the generator powering the _Endar Spire_ 's computer. She tried to shake herself out of her funk. Viggota was right. If she couldn't focus, she would be putting herself and the others at risk on the way back to the spaceport. She didn't want anyone else to have to suffer through the worry that she was going through.

An hour later, with the data download getting close to done, Jorgan jerked to attention. He was still standing by the main door, where Viggota had rejoined him. Rian was sitting at one of the forward stations, her boots braced against edge of the inactive console. She still didn't feel any different, though every time she had to wipe away a trickle of sweat because of the close, damp air in the ship, she worried.

"We've got incoming," the Cathar hissed, lifting his assault cannon. He and Viggota took up stations on either side of the door, just out of sight of anyone coming down the hall, and flicked their headlamps off. The bridge was plunged into near-darkness, though there wasn't much they could do about the few lights that flickered on the consoles, or the hum of the generator.

Rian slipped off the chair and rolled into cover behind the console, the grips of her blasters comfortably familiar in her hands. She could hear the thud of boots on the decking outside the bridge, getting steadily nearer. At least it wasn't rakghouls this time.

The footsteps outside slowed, presumably as whoever was approaching realized that the bridge was occupied. Rian's pulse was loud in her ears as her eyes strained in the darkness. She didn't know if these new visitors were friend or foe, but Taris hadn't exactly been welcoming yet so she had to assume the worst. She could see the gleam of reflected light from the hall, just bright enough to show Viggota and Jorgan poised on either side of the doorway, with Lomning tucked close behind Viggota. She couldn't see Corso or Xirra in the darkness, but she hoped Xirra would have had enough sense to either stick near the Jedi, or find cover.

"We know you're there, pirates," came a voice from outside and Rian grimaced. That had been an Imperial accent. "Lay down your weapons and come out with your hands up, or we will open fire." The rest of her crew had gone completely still and Rian pressed her forehead against the console in front of her. As if this day wasn't already bad enough. "You have one minute," the Imperial called out.

The sound of Viggota and Jorgan powering up their assault cannons was loud in the darkness. "We aren't pirates," Jorgan growled. "And we won't surrender to any Imp scum."

Rian bit back a grin and charged up her blasters, ducking under the edge of the console to watch the doorway. The Imperials wouldn't find them to be easy targets.

The screech and groan of the protest of ancient metal echoed through the bridge as more Imperial troops forced open the secondary hatches. Rian swore and swung around to bring her blasters to bear on the new threats. The clink and clatter of grenades on the deck was the last thing she heard.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late post - it's a holiday here today and I sort of forgot it was Monday, then we went to see Godzilla and then to D&D so I wasn't home for the whole afternoon and just got home!

Rian woke with a pounding head, wondering just what exactly she had been drinking.  She tried to lift a hand to her forehead but was brought up short by a strap around her wrist.  Her eyes snapped open, and pain shot through her head in response to the movement.  She grimaced but forced herself to look.

She was strapped to a slanted medical table in a room with dark plasteel walls, the Imperial symbol hanging high on the wall opposite her.  She couldn't see the door from her position, so she assumed it was behind her.  Machinery crouched menacingly along the walls, whirring and beeping occasionally.  Rian craned her neck, but the room seemed to be deserted at the moment.  She shifted carefully, taking stock.  Her head ached, but she wasn't sure if it was from whatever had knocked her unconscious, or if she had hit her head on the way down.  Her muscles felt loose and shaky, and she was dressed in a simple tunic and trousers of a pale grey material.  Her feet were bare, and all her weapons were gone.  Wires ran from her skin to some of the machines, which she was sure would soon alert her captors that she was awake.  She could already hear the steady beeping of the heart rate monitor speeding up as she pulled against her bonds.

The bindings at her chest, wrists, and ankles were tight, but since they were simple leatheris rather than the forcefield-like bindings that she had seen used in more high-tech facilities, she knew she had a pretty good chance of escaping, if she had enough time.  She just wasn't sure she would have the time she needed.

Rian had just managed to get her left wrist free when the door hissed open.  She scrambled for the other straps, but her luck had run out.

"Oh, no, I think not,"  said a cultured, but oddly not Imperial-accented voice.  There was a shout, and a pair of burly soldiers sprang forward.  They wrestled her arm away from the straps and pinned it back down.  "You can't leave us already, Rian.  You've only just arrived."

The man was small and slender, with neatly styled black hair and a plethora of cybernetic implants on his scarred face.  One eye was hidden by a mechanical sensor but the other was twinkling with glee as he looked her over.  He was wearing civilian clothes, though their cut and sombre grey colour was oddly reminiscent of a uniform, and a blaster on his hip.  The two men holding Rian down were wearing the uniforms of Imperial soldiers, though they were clearly following this civilian's orders.

Rian narrowed her eyes at the cyborg.  She recognized him, from Garza's briefing on Coruscant from what seemed like ages ago now.  "Needles,"  she muttered.  Ryler Dorant, one of the Havoc Squad traitors.  He had been the squad's medic, she remembered.  She also remembered disliking him just from the smirk on his face in his photo, and meeting him in person didn't do anything to change her first impression.  But then again, it was hard to feel any sort of positive emotions to someone who had her tied up.

"Oh, you've heard of me!"  he exclaimed gleefully as the soldiers strapped Rian back down, tightening the wrist cuff until she was worried about her fingers.  Dorant moved forward to check her bindings and loosened it just a little, though unfortunately not enough for her to slip free again.  "I feel honoured."

"The pleasure's all yours,"  she spat, jerking her head away when he reached for her face.  The headache punished her for the movement, but Needles just smirked.

"I'm sure,"  he said dryly.  He jerked his head at the two soldiers and they retreated, though Rian didn't hear the hiss of the door so she assumed they were still in the room.  "You know, Rian, you're a medical marvel."  He moved to one of the nearby machines and picked up a datapad that was lying on the counter beside it.  Rian turned her head to try to see what was on the screen, but he was holding it angled away from her.  "Bitten by a rakghoul, but not infected."

Rian felt a wave of relief rush through her body.  She had actually forgotten about the bite, thanks to the slight distraction of waking up in captivity, but apparently Needles had tested her while she was unconscious.  The knowledge that she wasn't going to turn into a mindless beast was a huge relief.  Now if only she could get free, get her weapons back, and find her crew, her day would be just about perfect.

"You're going to advance my work tremendously,"  Dorant mused almost to himself as he tapped away on the datapad.  Rian tugged at her bindings again while he was distracted, but they held firm.  He suddenly looked up at her, his single eye piercing.  "Do you know very much about the rakghoul plague?"  he asked conversationally.

"I know it's a nasty piece of work,"  she muttered, slumping back against the bed.  Her head throbbed, and she closed her eyes briefly.

"It's actually quite brilliant,"  the man said.  She opened her eyes at the sound of his boots on the plasteel floor and watched as he paced back and forth in front of her, like a university lecturer.  "It was created by a Sith Lord, from what I've been able to determine.  Through a combination of science and judicious use of the Force, he was able to create a compound that would transform people into rakghouls.  He was able to control these creatures, and used them as his own personal army."  He waved a hand, as if that part was unimportant.  "But when this Sith died, that's when things got _really_ interesting.  The rakghouls resisted all other means of control.  None of the other Sith were able to influence them at all.  So they escaped into Taris' Undercity, and multiplied."

He tucked his hands together behind his back, studying one of the readouts on a machine across from Rian.  "The virus is highly contagious,"  he told her over his shoulder.  "Over half of the people who are exposed to it will become infected.  From what we can tell about the others, they were just lucky enough to get a small enough exposure to it to avoid contracting it.  We haven't discovered anyone with any sort of immunity to it, nor have any treatments been effective in halting or even slowing the progression of the disease."

He spun to face her again, a broad grin on his narrow face.  "But you, Rian.  You were clearly exposed to a large enough concentration of the virus.  I saw what happened to your armour.  That rakghoul nearly took your arm off.  You should have been infected, and you should definitely have turned by now."  Rian's stomach clenched painfully at that the thought that she could have changed while being unable to do anything about it, and Needles seemed to know.  His smile widened even further.  "But you didn't.  Your blood tests show no evidence of the virus.  Unfortunately, it doesn't show any antibodies either, which would have made you much more useful, but you're still the only person we've found who has survived such an exposure to the virus.  I'd like to hear how you did it."

Rian made a deliberate attempt to get her emotions back under control and just arched an eyebrow at the man.  First, he wasn't really expecting her to help him after he had captured her, was he?  And secondly, if he was as smart as he seemed to think he was, he should have noticed the fact that the wound had been healed.  Assuming that her crew had been captured as well, it wouldn't have been difficult to figure out that Lomning was a Jedi and to put the two facts together.

"Disinclined to talk?"  Dorant said with a shrug.  "Not unexpected.  Well, no matter.  You'll still be a suitable test subject for the next phase of my experiments."  He set the datapad down and picked up an injector.  "This is a slow-acting version of the rakghoul plague,"  he explained as he moved towards her.  "I will be able to study the effects on your blood over the next several days, and see the results."

Rian went tense, straining against her bonds.  "Don't you already know the results?"  she asked through gritted teeth.

"Oh, I'm certain you will turn into a rakghoul,"  Needles said, stopping beside her.  "But I've never had an opportunity to study someone who has been infected twice.  Maybe you have an immunity."

"I thought you tested for that already,"  Rian spat, eyes locked on the injector.  There wasn't anything she could do to stop him, and Lomning wasn't here to heal her again.  If Dorant injected her with the virus this time, she was done.  And she definitely didn't want to go like this, captured by Imps and strapped down to a medical table to turn into some horrific monster.

"It's true that your blood doesn't show any evidence of antibodies,"  Needles said thoughtfully.  "But it's still a unique opportunity and I would be foolish to pass it up."

"Doesn't sound like a good reason to me,"  she said, tugging ineffectually at her bonds.  "It just sounds like an excuse to infect someone."

"Oh, I don't need an excuse,"  Needles said with a smile that was all teeth.  "I have all the prisoners I could want for that.  But you and your little friends cost us Tavus, so this will just be _fun_."

It hadn't even really occurred to Rian that she might face reprisals from the Imperials for her part in the capture of Harron Tavus before he could defect to the Empire.  Tavus, and the rest of Havoc Squad, had been angered at what they had seen as the Republic abandoning them during a conflict on Ando Prime.  The Republic had pulled all their support, and left the elite squad behind.  Tavus had managed to get his people out, but he had been bitter and angry at what he saw as a betrayal.  He had made contact with the Empire and had arranged to defect with his whole squad but before he could carry out his plan, Viggota had been assigned to Havoc Squad.  Tavus knew that he didn't have the time or the leverage to convince Viggota to join them, so he had ordered his Imperial allies to kill the new Havoc Squad sergeant, and fled with his team.

Viggota had obviously survived, and he and Jorgan had set about tracking the traitors down.  Thanks to a phoney arrest warrant against her, Rian had been coerced into helping by General Garza, their commanding officer.  And Corso and Lomning just couldn't leave well enough alone and had gotten involved as well.  They had managed to track Tavus to Coruscant's Undercity, where they had discovered to everyone's surprise that he had a wife and child that he was trying to convince to defect with him, until he had discovered just how little the Empire cared for their lives.  He had agreed to let Viggota bring him back to Garza on the condition that they would be safe.

"So this is just revenge?"  Rian asked rhetorically.  "Seems a little petty.  And foolish.  Why play around with something so dangerous when a blaster bolt to the head is so much easier?"

"Because I'm not interested in making it easy for you,"  Needles said.  "We're trying to recreate the process that let that long-dead Sith control the first rakghouls.  And wouldn't it just be perfect if you and your friends were the first members of our new army."

Rian snarled up at him, jerking at the straps that held her down.  "You're sick, Dorant.  The rakghouls are dangerous, and you're playing with something you don't understand.  I hope you die screaming on their claws."

Needles narrowed his eye at her, face tight and angry.  "You first."  He lifted her left _lek_ out of the way, making her shudder with revulsion at the touch, and pressed the injector hard against the side of her neck.  She heard the hiss as the virus was injected into her bloodstream.  She snarled at him again, covering her panic with anger, but he just smirked down at her and stepped away.  "I'll be monitoring you, my dear.  I do hope it's just as painful as I imagine it to be."  He strode away, and she heard the guards join him as he exited the room.

As soon as the door hissed shut behind him she went back to work on the straps.  The one around her left wrist was too tight now, but they hadn't tightened the one on her right arm.  It took several minutes, but she was finally able to free herself.  She expected the guards to burst back in as she unbuckled the rest of the restraints, but the door stayed shut.  Either they didn't have any cameras in the room, or they didn't care that she was free.  It was possible they had planned to leave her locked in here to let the virus do its work, but a cell with a forcefield would have been a much better place for that, instead of a room full of presumably expensive medical equipment.  Maybe they just really thought she couldn't escape again.

The wires connecting her to the machines were just long enough to let her reach the datapad that Dorant had left behind.  She didn't want to unhook anything just yet, because even if there were no cameras in here she was sure that the sensors on the machines would alert the Imps immediately if she wasn't still attached to them.  She perched on the edge of the counter to scroll quickly through the information on it, but didn't find anything immediately helpful.  His notes definitely showed that the version of the virus that he had injected her with was one that had a drastically slower progression, which was at least a small consolation.  Dorant hadn't been lying when he had said he would have days to study her transformation, so at least she wasn't in immediate danger.

It looked like most of his research was for weaponizing the virus, as if it wasn't dangerous enough already, but she did admit that it would be an effective, if horrifying, tool in a war.  Dorant was looking into alternate delivery methods for the disease, to see if it could be disseminated in the air or water.  All an attacking force would have to do would be to introduce the virus onto a planet and wait.  Soon enough, there wouldn't be anyone left to keep fighting.  True, the planet would instead be covered in rakghouls but if the Empire didn't actually want the planet for anything, it would be a fast and effective way of ending a conflict.

The datapad was connected to the base's network, and after a few minutes of work she was able to hack in.  There were some blueprints buried deep in the database and while she wasn't sure exactly where she was being held, she was able to figure out where the cells were.  Presumably, that's where she would find the others.  Assuming they weren't being infected by Needles while she was trying to work out a plan.  She pushed that thought firmly away.  There wasn't anything she could do about that right now, other than try to escape and find them as soon as possible.

The whole complex was five stories, but it was buried deep underground.  She suspected that it was an old Tarisian structure, rather than something the Imperials had just built, as it seemed like it would be a lot of unnecessary work to dig into the swamp.  The series of small, open rooms that she assumed made up the detention centre was the second level down.  The deepest level looked like mostly storage, though she also recognized the symbols that denoted the powerful generators that would be providing light and air to the underground structure.  The floor above it was filled with small sets of rooms - possibly living quarters, or offices.  The floor below the detention centre looked like it might be a communal space, being made up of a series of larger rooms.  The shallowest floor was much the same, though she also saw symbols denoting a pair of massive lifts that presumably went to the surface.  The datapad didn't seem to have any blueprints for a corresponding surface structure but she didn't know if that was oversight, or if that meant that there wasn't anything left on the surface.

A quick sweep of the room didn't turn up much that would be of use.  She did find some spare cables for the machines and was able to fashion a crude strap so she could sling the datapad across her back.  If she was able to escape, Dorant's notes would be invaluable.  She grabbed another cable, long enough to wrap around both of her hands with some slack in between, and tore the sensors off her skin.  Alarms immediately starting shrieking on several of the machines, and she darted for the door.  She pressed her back against the wall beside it just as it slid open.

As she had suspected, there were guards right outside.  The two soldiers that had been with Dorant burst into the room, blasters drawn, and the door hissed shut behind them.  She was glad the two of them had been left to guard her, rather than soldiers wearing full armour, or she wouldn't have any chance of this working.  She leapt at the nearest one, looping the wire tight around his neck and pulling back with all her weight.  He choked, instinctively dropping his blaster to grab at the cable with both hands.  He was stronger than she was, but she had the element of surprise on her side.  She let her body sag down, letting gravity do most of the work for her as he scrabbled ineffectually at the wire around his throat.  He was also doing a wonderful job of shielding her from his partner, who was hollering at her to let the man go and put her hands up.

As soon as the soldier started to slump into unconsciousness, she dropped the cable and dove for his discarded weapon.  Her roll took her behind the medical table and startled the other man enough that she was able to get a shot off before he could.  His head snapped back and he slumped to the floor.  She made sure of the half-conscious guard as well, not wanting to leave any live enemies behind her.

Unfortunately, both of the soldiers were much too big for any of their clothing to fit her, but she did take their blasters, one of their earpiece radios, and an identification card.  Hopefully it would open any locked doors she might come across.  She also silenced the alarms on the machines.  She didn't know what might be outside the door and she didn't want the sound to alert anyone else nearby.

The plasteel floor was cold under her bare feet as she thumbed the door open and peered outside.  The room she was in was at the end of a hallway.  Across the corridor was a set of stairs leading up, and at the far end she could see a T-junction.  She couldn't hear any commotion either in the halls or through her earpiece, so hopefully her escape would go unnoticed for the moment.  There were two other doors leading off the hall, both closed, neither labelled.  There was something written beside the stairs, so she darted across the hall to see what it was.

Judging by the sign, she was actually on the bottom level, which surprised her.  Maybe the Imps had wanted to bury Dorant's research as deeply as possible, just in case anything went wrong.  She assumed there would be a way of sealing off this level, if necessary.

She didn't hear any signs of movement so she started slowly upwards, her bare feet silent on the risers.  She would have a slight advantage over the Imperials as she had never seen any of them wearing anything other than sturdy boots.  Hopefully she would be able to hear them coming.

As she had suspected, there were heavy blast doors at the top and bottom of each stairwell but they were all currently open.  She only had one close call as the tread of heavy boots alerted her in time to scramble for cover around a corner as an Imperial officer and his aide went by, discussing a meeting they had just left.  Rian listened carefully, but it didn't have anything to do with her or her crew, or with the Republic's resettlement efforts.

When she reached the detention level, she slowed her steps.  She was definitely expecting to find guards here, and was surprised to see none in evidence.  Her earpiece was also suspiciously silent, and she worried that her escape had been discovered and the Imps had switched to another channel.

She got her first clue when she spotted the blasted husk of what had been a camera overhead.  There were scorch marks on the wall and ceiling around it and she checked the charge on her blasters.  There had been fighting here, and she was sure that this silence was only temporary.

Up ahead of her, the corridor turned left and she could hear what sounded like a whispered argument from around the corner, but it was too quiet to make out.  She crept carefully closer, then broke into a sudden grin.  Those definitely weren't Imperial accents, and she recognized those voices.  She stopped just before the corner and tapped one of her stolen blasters against the plasteel wall panel beside her.  The argument broke off abruptly.

"If I come around this corner, am I going to get shot?"  she asked with a smile.

There was a whoop of joy, followed by hasty admonitions for quiet, and Corso came barrelling around the corner to sweep her up in an exuberant embrace.  He swung her around twice before setting her back down.  She pulled back to look at him, but he didn't look like he had suffered much in captivity.  He was still wearing the padded tunic and trousers he wore under his armour, and even still had his boots.  He had an Imperial blaster rifle slung across his back.

"Stars, Captain, it's good to see you,"  he said, squeezing her shoulders.  Rian barely even had time to smile back before the rest of the crew surrounded them.  They all looked healthy, and happy to see her again.  They were dressed similarly to Corso, and were all carrying rifles or blaster pistols, even Xirra.  Lomning had an unfamiliar lightsaber hanging from his belt.

"Everyone all right?"  she asked, turning to survey each of them in turn.  She didn't even see any fresh scrapes or bruises, so it didn't look like they had been mistreated.

"We're okay, but what about you?"  Viggota asked, taking in her plain grey clothes and bare feet.

Rian made a face.  "I met an old friend of yours,"  she said with a sigh.  "Long story.  Can we get out of here first?"

"We were just on our way to rescue you,"  Corso said with a laugh.

"And I was on my way to rescue you guys, so this worked out perfectly.  How did you get free?"

"Xirra faked a panic attack, and we convinced one of the guards to let Lomning treat her,"  Corso said, bumping his arm carefully against Xirra's shoulder.  "They even had a Sith watching him, but Lomning just turned around to politely ask him to get out of his light, then punched him right in the nose and grabbed his lightsaber when he dropped it."

Rian had to bite the inside of her cheek to stifle her laughter.  "Seriously, Jedi?  You punched him in the face?"

"He would have felt it if I had gathered the Force to me,"  Lomning said serenely, but his eyes were dancing with mirth.  "I felt it was the most expeditious course of action."

"Well, I sure wish I'd been here to see that!"  She shook her head, laughter still threatening to spill out, and turned to Xirra.  "And you're okay?"

The girl nodded.  "Mostly.  I mean, stun grenades and Imperial prisons weren't exactly what I had in mind for today, but I'm doing okay."

Rian met her eyes and nodded slowly.  Xirra looked like she was telling the truth, though she looked a little unsettled still.  Rian just hoped it had actually been a fake panic attack, though she suspected that might not be entirely true.  "Good.  I'm glad to hear that."

"And I'm glad to see that you're not a rakghoul,"  Jorgan rumbled, finally speaking up.  He was watching the hall past them, rifle held loose but ready in his hands.

Rian's breath caught a little and she was glad that she had a blaster in each hand to keep her from rubbing at the side of her neck where Needles had injected her.  "Yeah, don't be too sure about that just yet.  But I'm not telling the story here,"  she said, quickly overriding any questions.  "We need to get out of here first, or it won't matter.  Do any of you have a plan?  I picked up an earpiece, but I haven't heard any chatter, so I assume they've switched channels."

"There's too many Imps here for us to just blast our way out,"  Jorgan said reluctantly.  "We need a way to get out where they won't see us."

"And I'd like my gear back,"  Rian said sourly, looking down at her bare feet.

"Not to mention the data we pulled out of the _Endar Spire_ ,"  Viggota said.  "I don't think that Republic Command would be very happy to know that the Imps have it, and they don't."

"They would have probably packaged up all our gear and brought it back for processing,"  Rian mused.  "If we can find where they're storing it, I doubt it would have been looked at yet."

"What if some of you changed into Imperial uniforms?"  Xirra asked.  "You'd be able to move around a whole lot easier."

"That could work,"  Corso said.  "But I didn't see anyone even close to a size you two would fit,"  he added, gesturing to Rian and Xirra.

"We could pretend to be transferring prisoners?"  Viggota suggested, then shook his head.  "No, that probably won't work.  Rian wasn't being held here, and we're the only prisoners.  I'm sure we'd run into someone who would know that she didn't belong here."

"If you guys go ahead to clear a path, we can follow,"  Rian said.  "I doubt we'll get out of here without a fight, but we can try."

"Now we just need to figure out where we're going,"  Jorgan muttered darkly, and Rian shrugged awkwardly out of the harness that held the datapad.

"There's blueprints on here,"  she said, passing her blasters to Xirra and Corso so she could pull them up.  She made sure that the information about the rakghoul virus wasn't visible on the screen before she handed it to Viggota.  "What do you guys think?"

"Let's head for the surface,"  Viggota said after studying the map.  "If they did use stun grenades on us, we wouldn't have been out for more than two hours.  It's entirely possible our gear is still in the transports they used to bring us in, and I don't see anywhere on this map where there's enough room for a vehicle bay, so that must be topside.  Even if they've already moved our gear, at least we can get out of here."

"It _was_ stun grenades,"  Xirra said stubbornly.  Rian got the impression this conversation had been going on for a while before she had showed up.  "If that had been frag grenades that they threw at us, we'd be a bunch of squishy, messy pieces on the _Endar Spire_ , not stuck in an Imp base."

"Argue later,"  Rian said, sliding the makeshift strap back over her shoulder and taking her blasters back.  "We need to move."

Viggota, Jorgan, and Corso were able to find Imperial uniforms that mostly fit, but Corso was right.  None of the soldiers were small enough for Rian or Xirra's builds.  Lomning glanced at the Sith, but the red-skinned man had been much more slender than the bulky Twi'lek, and there was no way his robes would fit the Jedi.

"Just don't turn around,"  Rian laughed when Viggota and Jorgan moved to take point.  Jorgan's borrowed uniform had a blaster hole burned through the back of his left shoulder.  "Remind me not to piss you guys off.  Which one of you shot the poor guy in the back?"

"He was going for reinforcements,"  Viggota shrugged.  "That wasn't the kill shot anyways.  That was just to stop him."

The stairs to the next level were unguarded, and Rian felt a prickle of danger between her shoulder blades.  This was far too easy.  Her crew had shot out the cameras around the cells, so the Imps must know that their prisoners had escaped.  She didn't see how they wouldn't have figured it out yet.  It felt like they were walking into a trap.

Even though they were dressed in Imperial uniforms, Viggota, Jorgan, and Corso still moved cautiously.  They made it up to the next level without incident.  Most of it was one large room, piled haphazardly with crates.  Rian frowned at the sight.  Usually, Imperial quartermasters were stern taskmasters.  There was no way this area should be this big of a mess.

At the far end of the room, she could see the two huge lifts that tunnelled up to the surface.  There were no Imps immediately in evidence, so Rian gestured for her crew to head for the exit.  She worried that they might run into resistance on the surface, but there wasn't any other way out.

"We should check these crates,"  Lomning said.  "It is possible that we may find our possessions here."

"Good idea,"  Rian said.  "Start with the ones nearest the lift.  If we can't find our stuff within a few minutes, though, we're leaving it behind."

"Understood,"  Viggota said.  "Jorgan and I will stand guard, just in case."

Rian laid her blasters on a crate within easy reach and started unclasping the tops of the boxes near the lift.  She found rations, uniforms, and bedding, but no sign of their gear.

"Here!"  Corso hollered triumphantly from near the second lift.  He had half a dozen crates open around him.  "It's all here."

Everyone hurried over, taking turns gearing up while the others watched for trouble.  It didn't take long for everyone to get ready to move again.  They had even found the datapad with the logs from the _Endar Spire_ and the portable generator.  Rian belted her armoured jacket on and drew her blasters, feeling infinitely better with the familiar grips in her hands.

They all piled onto the lift, a broad, flat platform without so much as a railing around the edge, and Viggota pressed the button to ascend.  The sound of the lift whirring to life was very loud, echoing through the large open space and up the long tunnel to the surface.  There wasn't any cover on the lift platform, and Rian paced nervously back and forth.  Her skin prickled and she wondered if it was just worry about what they might encounter on the surface, or if it was the first symptoms of infection.

The rest of her crew looked equally jittery and none of them seemed able to stand still, other than Jorgan who was peering up the shaft with a sniper's focus.  "Get ready,"  he muttered, and Rian looked up to see faint daylight gleaming through an opening at the top of the shaft.

The lift ground to a halt in a small building that was just large enough to hide it from observation.  Rian assumed that that the outside was camouflaged, if the Republic's orbital scans hadn't found it.  Surprisingly, there wasn't a whole platoon of Imperial soldiers waiting at the top, so she and her crew cautiously stepped off the lift and out onto Taris' surface.

As she had suspected, the building that concealed the lift was covered with native Tarisian vines and plants so that a casual look would just show it as a mound of vegetation.  There was a second one nearby that presumably hid the other lift.  But surprisingly there was a third one, long and low.

"Probably the vehicle storage,"  Viggota said, shading his eyes against the low-hanging sun.  It had been early afternoon when they had reached the _Endar Spire_ , and now the sun was dipping towards the horizon.  Rian had no desire to spend a night outside on Taris, or back in the Imperial base, so she hoped that the rest of their escape proceeded as smoothly as it had so far.

Unlike the structures that concealed the lifts, the vehicle bay had proper doors, which were firmly closed.  Jorgan thumbed the control pad to open them, but they were locked.  "Riggs, get over here and get these open,"  he said over his shoulder to Corso.

"Hang on,"  Rian said, stepping forward and holding out the identification card she had taken from one of the guards.  "Try this first."  Jorgan swiped the card and the lock blinked obligingly green.  He waited until the others were clear of the door before thumbing it open.  The lights inside the structure were already on, and Rian's heart sank.  She had known that their escape was too easy.

Two squads of Imperial soldiers in full armour were arrayed inside the building, their guns out and ready.  Between the two squads stood a pair of black-robed, red-skinned Sith, and a smirking Needles.

"Dorant,"  Jorgan spat.  "I should have known you were here.  This whole planet must be like paradise to you."

"Horrible plague, plenty of easily accessible volunteers for my research, and no pesky Republic ethics to get in my way?  You're absolutely right."  He sneered at them, tucking his hands behind his back.  "You didn't think you were just going to walk out of here, did you?  Drop your weapons, and surrender."

"Why bother to let us escape at all?"  Viggota asked, the barrel of his assault cannon pointed unwaveringly at Needles.  "Why let us get our weapons back, if you could have stopped us any time?"

"Call it a social experiment,"  Dorant said, spreading his hands.  "We give you hope, and then take it away again."

"Personally, I think that's a pretty dumb experiment,"  Corso muttered from behind Viggota.

"Oh, and why is that?"  Needles' voice was dripping with scorn.  "Do you really think you're a threat to us?  You're badly outnumbered, and your captain is a ticking time bomb."  He watched as the others glanced uncertainly at Rian, and laughed in delight.  "Rian!  Are you saying you didn't _tell_ them?"

She didn't bother to answer, because she knew that Needles just couldn't keep it to himself.  He was far too fond of the sound of his own voice.

"Oh my, now that's an interesting wrinkle in the experiment."  He chuckled.  "I infected her with the rakghoul virus."

Corso exclaimed in shock, actually turning his head to look at her.  "Does that mean you weren't infected before?"

"Of course not,"  Dorant said with a superior sniff.  "She would have turned by now if that bite had passed along the virus.  But instead, she's now infected with my own personal blend.  I slowed the progression down,"  he explained smugly.  "So that I could more easily study the steps involved.  The natural version of the disease progresses far too quickly for proper testing."

"So you have some time yet?"  Lomning asked quietly from just behind Rian.  She nodded and he rested a hand on her shoulder.  "Then we should wrap things up here, so we can see what our options are."

"Agreed,"  she said, setting her jaw firmly.  "I don't know what you think your plan is,"  she called out to Needles, glancing to her crew to make sure they were ready for a fight.  "But we're done playing your games.  Let us go, or this is going to end badly."

Dorant was chuckling as he shook his head.  "I'm sure you can count, Rian.  You're outnumbered.  The odds of success are practically nonexistent."

"Never tell me the odds,"  she snarled at him.  She squeezed the triggers of her blasters without warning, firing off two quick shots at him before diving for cover.  There was a damaged airspeeder just inside the doors, propped up on its side for servicing, that was perfect for her needs.  The solid construction meant that it would block blaster bolts, and she could see more cover beyond it in the crowded bay.  She would be able to move if she needed to.

As she tucked and rolled behind her airspeeder she heard Dorant yell in pain.  She didn't think she had gotten off a killing shot, but it had been a good enough distraction to let Viggota and Jorgan finish powering up their assault cannons.

The pair of them each fired off a volley of explosive rounds, the sound nearly deafening in the enclosed space.  She could hear the faster shots from Corso's rifle Torchy, and the hum of Lomning's lightsaber as he engaged the two Sith.  She heard some return fire from the Imperials but there definitely weren't two full squads left out there.

Staying crouched down, Rian leaned around the edge of the speeder.  She couldn't see Needles from her position, and she thought he might have withdrawn.  He didn't seem the type to stay in the thick of a firefight when there were other people there do to the fighting for him.  There were several Imperials down and unmoving, thanks to Viggota and Jorgan, but there were still plenty of targets.  With Lomning distracting the two Sith and the big guns drawing most of the attention of the soldiers, Rian set about picking off any Imperial she could get a clean shot at.

They were slowly whittling down the Imperial numbers, but the Sith were gaining ground on Lomning, and Rian could tell by the sound of it that Corso's shield emitter had taken a hit and wouldn't hold up much longer.  She could just barely see Xirra, huddled against the edge of the door, still outside the building.  Rian nodded in approval.  The girl had a blaster, but she had admitted herself that she had no idea how to use it.  Another gun would have been useful, but Rian didn't want to take the chance that Xirra might accidentally hit one of her allies.

Rian carefully worked her way deeper into the building, changing her angle as the Imperials tried to find cover from her and her crew, and finally caught a glimpse of Needles.  The man was slumped on the ground behind one of the larger troop transports, a medkit open beside him.  He was sorting through the stimpacks and other injectors, but his movements were slow and clumsy and he didn't seem to be able to use his right arm properly.  Judging from the blaster burns and blood on his uniform, both of her quick shots had actually hit him.  He clearly wasn't very good at ducking.

She shifted her focus back to the Imperial soldiers just as Corso's shield generator failed.  The kid yelled as a volley of shots hit him directly and he stumbled backwards.  Rian had a perfect shot at the soldier that had fired at him, and squeezed her triggers with a little more force than necessary.  The man slumped forward as both bolts caught him square in the back of the head.  Xirra scrambled out of cover to help Corso back to his feet, and though Corso tried to shoo her away as soon as he was steady again she instead crouched behind him and pulled a roll of tools from her pocket to work on his shield generator.  Corso lifted Torchy again and hammered the Imperials with a line of shots to keep them too distracted to target the lightly-armoured girl.

Rian finally managed to work her way around behind the parked vehicles until she could get a clear line of sight on the Sith that had managed to back Lomning into a corner.  The two of them looked like they were toying with the Jedi, with broad grins on their red-skinned faces.  The smiles vanished pretty quickly when Rian lined up her first shot.  Distracted as they were, she was actually able to put one of them down with a pair of charged-up shots from her blasters and it was all the help Lomning needed.  With only a single opponent to worry about now, the Jedi was able to go on the offensive.

While Lomning engaged the last Sith warrior, Rian turned her attention back to the soldiers.  Jorgan was down on one knee and she could see bright red blood running down the armoured plates of his left leg, but he was still firing his assault cannon steadily.  Viggota looked to be doing all right at the moment, so Rian focused her attention on the soldiers that were trying to take advantage of Corso and Jorgan's overheated shield generators.  Xirra was still working on Corso's, but from the scowl on her face Rian didn't think it was going well.

Rian was surprised at how long it took for the Imperials to finally see her as an equal threat.  Her guns may have been smaller, but she was able to hit the weak spots in the back and sides of their armour, and she was forcing them to try to defend on two fronts.  The airspeeder she was crouched behind took the brunt of the shots when a trio of Imps finally turned to fire on her, though one bolt did skim off her right hip.  She returned fire blindly and rolled away to find a new piece of cover.

It turned out that was exactly what they had been anticipating, because Rian found her way blocked by a pair of burly soldiers.  She kicked out at one of them as he raised his rifle to shoot her, and the glancing blow to his leg startled him enough that his first shot went wide.  His partner reached for her and she ducked hastily under his arms.  She dropped to the ground and fired a pair of shots up at them to force them back.  She took another bolt to her shoulder, right where the rakghoul had torn open her armoured jacket, but retaliated with a shot angled up under one of the soldier's arms, where the armour was weak.  He dropped heavily and didn't get back up.

She heard a shout of pain from Viggota, but she couldn't see him from where she was sprawled on the ground.  She snapped a handful of shots at the Imp to drive him back, and rolled to her feet.  Viggota and Jorgan where both down on their knees, though both were still able to keep firing to prevent the Imps from closing in and finishing them off.  Xirra had ducked back out of sight again, but Rian could see the telltale shimmer of Corso's shield as blaster bolts skimmed past him, so she had clearly managed to get it fixed.  Lomning was still fighting the single remaining Sith, their lightsabers humming and cracking as they came together.

Rian took another shot to her wounded shoulder and she lost her grip on one of her blasters.  The pistol clattered to the ground, and the soldier grinned in triumph.  "Not so dangerous now, are you?"

"Shows what you know,"  Rian growled, lifting Flashy and snapping a blaster bolt so close to his head that he was forced to duck.  Her left arm shook, but she was able to pick up her second pistol again before rolling into cover.  She clipped the pistol into place on her belt, knowing she wouldn't be able to use it effectively right now.

She could hear the Imperial soldier advancing on her position and wished for a grenade, but all she had was a blaster and her wits.  She breathed out slowly, counting his footsteps, then sprang from cover with her pistol already firing.

He was closer than she had thought, but she was lucky that a few of her wild shots hit him anyways.  He made a grab for her again, but she ducked under his arm, slamming her elbow into the gap between his chestplate and his hip as she went.  It sent a shock of pain up her arm but it knocked the wind out of him and she was able to finish her pivot and shoot him in the back of the head before he could recover.

She let out a shaky breath and tightened her grip on her blaster.  There were still three soldiers and the last remaining Sith facing off against her crew.  Lomning looked to be holding his own at the moment, so Rian focused her attention on the soldiers.  Viggota's grip on his assault cannon looked a little shaky and his shots were going wide more often than not.  The battle had moved further away from Jorgan, who no longer had a clear shot at the Imps and looked like he wasn't going to be getting to his feet without assistance.

Rian checked the power pack in her blaster, noting that she still had plenty of charge, and quickly downed another one of the Imps.  Corso took out a second one a moment later, and the last one reached for one of the grenades hanging at his belt.  Rian yelled a warning and raised her blaster, but the man went flying suddenly through the air before she could get a shot off.  From across the room, Lomning slowly lowered his lightsaber, breathing hard.  The second Sith warrior was slumped unmoving at his feet.

There was a long moment of heavy silence before it was broken by Viggota's pained grunt as he tried to stand.  "Everyone all right?"

"More or less,"  Rian replied, lowering her pistol slowly.  She didn't see any movement from the Imps that were scattered around the room, but she didn't holster her blaster just yet.  She needed to make sure they were all dead, but she wanted to catch her breath first.  With the adrenaline of the fight slowly ebbing, all of her new wounds were making their presence known.

Lomning switched off his lightsaber and moved quickly to help Viggota and Jorgan, while Xirra crept carefully into the building.  "Are they all dead?"  she asked quietly.  Corso flicked off his shield generator and wrapped a gentle arm around her.

"I'm going to check,"  Rian said, starting in on the grim task.  Most of the soldiers were definitely not breathing, though she did find two that were unconscious and one that was groggily trying to push himself upright.  A quick blast took care of each of them, and she paused before stepping around the troop transport vehicle at the back of the bay.

Needles was still sprawled on the ground behind it, the medpack tipped over beside him.  He was breathing, but there were bloody bubbles at the corners of his mouth and he had one hand pressed to a spreading red stain on his stomach.  Judging by the amount of blood on the ground beneath him, he didn't have much longer.

It took a while for his eyes to focus on her, but then he bared his bloody teeth in what she thought was supposed to be a smile.  "It looks like you might outlive me, but I promise it won't be for very long,"  he gasped, voice shaking with pain.

"I read your research notes,"  she told him conversationally.  "I really do think it's appropriate that you're going to die choking on your own blood.  It won't make up for what you've done, but I'm glad your death isn't going to be an easy one."

"You have darkness in you, Rian,"  Dorant said, eyes going unfocused for a moment before he dragged his attention back to her.  "I like it."

"I really can't explain to you how little anything you say means to me right now,"  she told him, turning her back on him to rejoin her friends.

"Is that so?"  he asked, voice catching on a gasp.  "I guess you don't want to know about the cure, then."

She spun back to face him.  His eyes were half closed, and a smirk lingered on his lips.  She strode over to him and nudged him hard in the hip with her boot.  His head lolled to the side and he slumped lifelessly to the ground.  She started down at his body, shaking hard.  She hadn't seen anything in his notes about any potential vaccine.  Dorant had just been playing with her, right to his last breath.  But if there was any chance at all...  She shook her head firmly and holstered Flashy.  She should know better than to get her hopes up.


	13. Chapter 13

She was still shaking when Lomning found her. He paused at the sight of Dorant's body and then stepped carefully around the pool of blood to join her. "Are you all right?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know," she replied, crossing her arms across her stomach and squeezing. Pain shot through her mangled shoulder but she ignored it. "Lomning, he said something about a cure, before he died." Her voice was raw, and she barely recognized it.

Lomning pressed a hand to her arm and she felt the warmth of his healing ability knitting the wounds she had gotten in the fight. The golden energy chased away the last of her aches and pains, though it didn't leave her feeling any more settled. "Is that all he said?"

She nodded jerkily, eyes still locked on his body. "I don't even know if he was telling the truth, or if it's just another one of his sick games," she said, finally closing her eyes. Lomning's hand was still warm where it was curled around her upper arm and she leaned into it. "I don't want to die," she told him, voice quiet.

"Then we shall work to discover if there is any truth to his words," the Jedi said decisively. "You have his notes. Maybe there is something there."

"Maybe," she said, letting out a long breath and opening her eyes again. "But we can't stay here. We don't know if there are more Imps around."

"I agree," Jorgan said, appearing around the edge of the troop transport. His eyes caught on Dorant's body and he nodded. "Good, I was hoping someone had dealt with him." He looked up again and met Rian's eyes and she was reminded just how good his hearing was. Had he overheard her talking with Lomning?

"Is everyone else ready to move?" she asked, breaking eye contact with Jorgan and glancing back at the Jedi. She wasn't ready to discuss it yet, not until they were out of here.

"I believe so," Lomning replied, steering her towards Jorgan. The Cathar turned away to lead them back to the others, but not without a last searching look that Rian refused to meet.

Viggota and Corso were working on the grim task of moving the bodies so that they would be able to get one of the speeders out of the bay. The Imperial soldiers had built up some makeshift barricades that needed to be moved as well, and Rian went to help. Xirra looked pale as she joined her, trying to keep her eyes averted from the neat rows of bodies that Viggota and Corso were creating.

"You all right?" Rian asked as she helped Xirra lift a crate away from the door of one of the medium-sized airspeeders. It would be plenty big enough for the six of them, and was near enough to the door that they wouldn't have to move any of the other vehicles to get it out of the building.

"I guess," the girl said quietly. She had a smear of blood on her cheek, but Rian wasn't sure she even knew it was there. "Fighting the rakghouls was bad enough, but this..." She trailed off, shaking her head.

"I know," Rian said, giving her a supportive pat on the shoulder. "This sort of thing really isn't for everyone. But you did a good job getting Corso's shield generator back up again. Things might have gone worse, if you hadn't. Being able to keep your head in a crisis is a much more important skill that being able to shoot a blaster."

"I just did was needed doing," Xirra said, ducking her head at the praise. She bent to pick up another crate, stacking it on top of the larger one out of the way.

"Exactly," Rian said. "There's a lot of people that either wouldn't have known what to do, or been too busy screaming to even think of doing it."

"I do still want to learn to shoot," Xirra said fiercely. "I didn't like not being able to help."

"You helped plenty," the Twi'lek said, gently grasping Xirra by the shoulders and looking her straight in the eye. "I want to make sure you can defend yourself if you need to, but I'll never ask you to fight if you don't have to, or want to."

"I know," Xirra said, meeting her gaze with an intensity Rian hadn't expected. "But I want to be able to help. I don't want to be a liability."

Rian smiled and squeezed her shoulders. "You're not. But I know what you mean. We'll get you started on some lessons when we get back to the ship, all right?"

Xirra nodded, and then froze. "But... what if we don't make it? I mean, you..." She trailed off again, looking at Rian with wide eyes.

"If I change, you mean," Rian said with a sigh. "I'll make sure you guys won't be stuck here. I promise. Even if I can't go with you, I'll make sure you're all safe."

Xirra suddenly started to cry, tears spilling silently down her cheeks and Rian gathered her up into an awkward hug, patting her carefully on the back. This sort of thing wasn't really her strength, but Xirra seemed to need it. She wasn't sure when Xirra had gotten so attached to her. She thought that it should be Corso that the girl was more worried about, but she supposed the whole situation was pretty overwhelming.

She caught a few glances being thrown their way but she let Xirra take as long as she needed. Rian knew the feeling of being upset and vulnerable. If this is what Xirra needed, then Rian would help as best she could.

"Sorry," Xirra finally muttered, rubbing as her eyes as she pulled away.

"Don't apologize," Rian said. "Really. It's okay."

"I shouldn't have just cried all over you, though," Xirra said. "You have bigger things to worry about."

"Xirra, you're part of my crew. As Captain, it's my job to worry about all of you." She squeezed the girl's shoulders again. "So really, it's all right. But if you're okay now, we should finish clearing this up so we can go. We can't stay here forever."

Xirra nodded and pulled away to help move the rest of the makeshift barricades out of the way. Viggota and Corso were finished with their grisly task and Jorgan and Lomning were guarding the doors. Rian climbed into the speeder and fired up the engines, neatly slicing through the security lock when it prompted her for her access code. Corso might be better with computers in general, but she had full confidence in her ability to steal a vehicle.

"Everyone hop in," she called out the hatch, running a quick check of the systems. "I want to try to get back to the spaceport before dark."

Rian was surprised when Jorgan settled into the seat beside her, and he gave her an amused look. "We're going to be driving up to a Republic base in an Imperial vehicle," he reminded her. "I figured I'd get on the horn with Torve and give him a heads-up."

She chuckled and waved towards the radio. "Be my guest. I really don't want to be shot at any more today."

Behind her, Corso and Xirra settled into adjacent seats, with Lomning behind them. Viggota was the last one in and made sure the hatch was secure as Rian spun the engines up. The speeder lifted gently off its cradle and she eased it forward out the main doors. There was a rough path winding through the swamp, and the airspeeder's repulsorlift engines kicked up muddy water around them as Rian left the drier ground of the Imperial base. She pulled up the overland map on the screen in front of her and let the computer plot out a course that would take them back to Olaris Spaceport. There were a few tall ridges and deep canyons that they would have to avoid, not to mention the worst areas of the ruins and the deeper parts of the swamp.

It took Jorgan a few minutes to raise the Republic base, and the quiet sound of his one-sided conversation filled the speeder. He explained the situation with his usual economy of words, though Rian did notice that he didn't mention the fact that she was currently infected with the rakghoul plague. She understood - there was no way she would be allowed to enter Olaris Spaceport if they knew she was infected, for fear of starting an outbreak - but she wasn't sure that lying, even by omission, was the best course of action. Even if she did still have a few days before she would start to change, according to Dorant's notes.

After Jorgan cut the channel, an awkward silence descended inside the vehicle. Rian tightened her hands on the control yoke and chewed on her bottom lip. She didn't have to look around to know that everyone was probably watching her. "All right," she finally said. "I know you all have questions, so... out with them."

"What happened?" Viggota asked, neatly summing up everything that her crew probably wanted to ask.

Rian sighed, easing the speeder around a tree that was leaning drunkenly out in front of them. "I woke up strapped to a medical table, with Dorant telling me that I was one of the 'lucky' ones. He said I wasn't infected, from the bite on the _Endar Spire_." She lifted one hand to rub at the spot on her neck where Needles had injected her. "So he said I would help his research, since he had never had the opportunity to infect someone twice."

"Sounds like a lame excuse to me," Corso muttered from behind her.

She chuckled. "I thought so too. I did manage to get something out of him that sounded closer to the truth, though." She glanced at Jorgan. The Cathar was watching her intently. "I think it was his revenge, for Tavus."

Jorgan snarled quietly beside her, and she heard Viggota swear from the back of the transport. "I knew those traitors were going to come back to bite us," Viggota said angrily.

"What kind of monster would do something like that?" Xirra asked. "That's not revenge. It's barbaric!"

"I agree," Jorgan rumbled. "But Needles was always... a little strange. He wasn't my favourite squad member, that's for sure. He was keen on his experiments, and wasn't always completely concerned with the ethics of them."

"That's one of the things he said he liked about working with the Imps," Rian said, shaking her head. Up ahead, the crumbling ruin of a large building blocked their path and she slowed the speeder to look for a way around. A narrow strip of clear land to her left seemed the best choice. "Personally, I think he just liked seeing people suffer. It wasn't enough to infect them. He had to develop this slow-acting strain so that he could toy with them longer before they changed."

There was a clump of rakghouls blocking part of the pathway, but they scattered as the speeder bore down on them. One of the creatures chased after the vehicle for a minute, but they quickly outpaced it as the path widened and Rian was able to speed up again.

"How long?" Corso finally asked, voice quiet.

"I don't know," Rian said. "A couple of days. I did manage to grab a datapad with at least some of his research on it, so maybe the experts can find something there that might help." She chewed on her lip, watching the path ahead of them for a moment. She didn't want to give them hope, where there was none, but if there was any truth to what Dorant had said they deserved to know. "When I found him, after the battle... he said something, just before he died. He said there was a cure. But I don't know if he was telling the truth, or just messing with me," she cautioned.

"But if there's a chance...!" Corso's voice was excited, and Rian closed her eyes briefly. This was exactly why she hadn't wanted to tell them.

"That's all I got, Riggs. He didn't give any details at all. If there isn't anything in his notes, I wouldn't even know where to start looking."

"Corso's right, though," Viggota said thoughtfully. "If there's any chance at all, we have to pursue it. Where's the datapad?"

"In Lomning's pack," Rian replied, turning the speeder to avoid a chunk of debris in the path. "I looked through it a little bit while I was still in the base but I didn't have a lot of time. I don't know if there's anything there."

"We can look," Lomning said calmly, and Rian heard the sounds of him rummaging around in his pack. Silence descended on the speeder again, but it felt more hopeful this time.

*****

Lomning had barely scratched the surface of Dorant's research by the time they reached Olaris Spaceport. He had made a few thoughtful noises as he had read through the information on the datapad, but had declined to comment when the others questioned him on it, saying he needed to read more before he fully understood the strain of the virus that Needles had created.

Rian slowed the speeder as they approached the bridge, easing it to a halt as the Republic soldiers guarding it readied their weapons.   Night had closed in, and the searchlights on the bridge created a cluster of light in the darkness. She hit the hatch release, letting in a gust of hot, damp air, and Jorgan climbed out with his hands carefully in view. "Stay put," she told her crew. "They should be expecting us."

Sure enough, the soldiers relaxed minutely when they caught sight of Jorgan. "Well you certainly don't look like an Imperial soldier," the head of the squad said, lowering his weapon and stepping forward to meet him as the Cathar jumped down to the ground. "You must be the ones the we were told to expect."

"I suppose it's possible that someone else stole an Imp speeder today, but yes, I did call to say we were incoming," Jorgan replied.

"We'll need to inspect the vehicle, and verify your identities," the lieutenant said, racking his blaster rifle. "Then you can go on through, but we'll need to impound the vehicle."

"Makes sense," Jorgan said, turning back to the speeder. "Everyone out. We're walking in."

Rian powered the speeder down, letting the others climb out first. Lomning tucked the datapad away into his pack and shrugged at her before he climbed out. "Nothing yet," he said. He aimed a meaningful glance at the torn shoulder of her armoured jacket. "They may not allow you to enter."

"I expect not," she said. The whirr of the engines died down, leaving her and Lomning alone in the dark and silent space. The soldiers at the bridge were backlit by the bright spotlights behind them. Beyond them loomed the dark bulk of the spaceport's wall. "But I got you guys back safely."

"I will speak with the Masters here immediately," Lomning told her. "They have been working closely with the Republic scientists on a cure. Hopefully the notes you recovered will help them."

There was a sharp rap on the outer hull of the speeder and Rian looked up to see one of the soldiers looking up at them. Her eyes caught on the bite mark in Rian's jacket and she backed up hastily. "Ah... Lieutenant?" she said, sounding a little strangled. "You should come look at this."

Rian could see her crew tense outside, but Lomning just laid a gentle hand on her other shoulder. "Stay calm. I will handle this," he told her.

Corso looked like he wanted to move to block the lieutenant as he approached the speeder, but Xirra grabbed his arm quickly before he could do anything foolish. Rian saw her whisper something in the young man's ear as the lieutenant reached the doorway.

"What is it, Sergeant?" he asked impatiently.

"She's been bitten, sir," the woman replied, nodding at Rian.

The lieutenant looked up sharply, eyes finding the torn sleeve of her jacket. "Is that a rakghoul bite, miss?"

"It is, lieutenant," Lomning replied. "Captain Tsel'rianeen was bitten by a rakghoul shortly after midday. I have been monitoring her, and have not seen any signs of infection."

The man shifted his gaze from Rian to Lomning, giving him a suspicious look as he took in the robes and the lightsaber hanging from his belt. "You're a Jedi? A healer?"

"I am," Lomning replied. "I healed her wound immediately after the attack."

"She can't enter the spaceport," the lieutenant said firmly. "And you'll all need to be tested for the disease."

"That is fair," Lomning said, stepping down out of the speeder, forcing the lieutenant to back up. "I will be consulting with my colleagues regarding her condition. Will they be able to meet with her?"

"As long as they're willing to come out here," the man said, backing away further as Rian climbed out of the speeder. He eyed her warily, and Rian raised an eyebrow at him. "You'll need to stay on the far side of the river," he told her. "And you will have to relinquish your weapons. If you make any attempt to cross the bridge, we will open fire."

"Hold on just one second," Jorgan said, pushing his way into the conversation. "She's not a rakghoul yet. You can't force her to stay over there without any weapons! What if she gets attacked?"

"I have to consider the safety of my men, and the security of the settlement," the man told Jorgan firmly. "She could be a danger to us."

Rian wasn't exactly pleased about it either, but held her peace for the moment. The soldiers would likely be more inclined to listen to Jorgan, Viggota, and Lomning rather than her. The whole squad had shifted away from her and closed ranks. Most of them had their hands on their weapons, and she spotted one soldier to the side of the group that had actually drawn his pistol, though it was still pointed at the ground.

"You have a duty to protect all citizens of the Republic," Jorgan snarled. "Including her."

"I understand your concerns," the lieutenant said frostily. "But I need to think of the greater good. She's only one person, and there are hundreds of people in the settlement that could be endangered if I allow her to enter."

"I'd like to speak to your superior," Viggota interjected before Jorgan could say anything else. "I do understand your position, but I would like to see if we can come up with another solution. I don't want to leave Captain Tsel'rianeen in such a dangerous position either."

Viggota's calm demeanour seemed to have helped settle the situation somewhat, and the lieutenant nodded thoughtfully. "I'll call my captain, and see if she'll come out with the medical team."

"No need for that," Viggota said. "Do you think you could put in a call to Major Torve? I'm sure he can help clear this up."

"I'm not sure I want to bother the major with this," the lieutenant said, looking down his nose a little at Viggota now. Rian guessed that he didn't like the idea of this supposed civilian trying to call the shots.

"Actually, Major Torve used to serve with Jorgan here, and he's the one that sent us out on a job, so I'm sure he wouldn't mind too much," Viggota said with a charming smile. Rian had to hide a grin of her own when the lieutenant's expression slackened with surprise. "We'd really appreciate it if you could put in a call to him."

The lieutenant conceded with ill grace, and stepped away to speak into his earpiece. The rest of the soldiers clustered around him, hands on their weapons, and Rian's crew closed ranks around her in response.

"Torve will sort this out," Jorgan muttered quietly to her. He was standing a step in front and to one side of her, hand resting absently on the blaster pistol at his waist. Rian just nodded in response, waving away a couple of the biting insects that seemed to have come out when the sun went down. She knew a blood test would quickly reveal that she was still infected, and they would be right back to square one.

The lieutenant looked a little sour when he finished his conversation. "Major Torve will be out shortly," he told them.

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Viggota said, bumping his shoulder gently against Rian's. She looked up to see him grinning broadly down at her. "Just relax, Captain," he told her.

"Easy for you to say," she muttered back at him, but she had to admit that she did feel a little better.

Torve must have hurried, because the gates opened only a few minutes later. He was in an open-topped speeder with three other people that Rian didn't recognize, though two of them were wearing robes so she assumed they were the Jedi Masters that Lomning had met with. The other one was wearing the uniform of a Republic medic. The speeder stopped on the far end of the bridge and the occupants climbed out. The lieutenant met them with a salute, then leaned in to speak quietly with the major. Torve brushed him aside with a brusque command, and the squad fell back while Torve and the others crossed the bridge.

Viggota and Jorgan saluted and Torve returned it with an amused look. "At ease. Tell me what happened."

"We were attacked, on the _Endar Spire_ ," Jorgan said. "There were rakghouls in the ducts, and one of them bit Rian. Lomning healed her right away, and we pressed on to the bridge. We were able to start downloading the data when we were ambushed by Imperial soldiers. They knocked us out with what we believe were stun grenades, and took us back to their base." He shifted a little uncomfortably, and Rian realized he probably didn't know how much, if anything, Torve knew about the dissolution of Havoc Squad.

"There was a Republic deserter working with the Imps, a medic," Jorgan continued, choosing his words carefully. "He held a grudge against myself, Viggota, and Captain Tsel'rianeen, and had been studying the rakghoul virus. When he saw that the captain had been bitten, he tested her for infection. He found that she wasn't infected, so he told her that he was going to infect her again. He claimed it was to help 'further his research', but we believe it was actually revenge. He said had been developing a slow-acting version of the disease, which he was using to study the progression of the disease. The captain was able to obtain a copy of his research notes, and based upon those, we believe she has several days before she will start to show symptoms."

Torve tilted his head to the side, considering Rian carefully. She squeezed her fingers tightly together behind her back and lifted her chin. His gaze lingered on the torn shoulder of her armour and then swept back up to her face. "That's quite the story. I'd like to have my people take a look at those notes."

"I would like to work with the medical team," Lomning said, stepping forward. "I have started to read through the notes." He glanced at Rian, and she nodded. There was no sense in keeping it a secret. "Before he died, the man mentioned a cure. I have not yet found any mention of it in his notes, but there is a lot of data there."

Torve, the two Jedi, and the medic all looked up in surprise. "A cure?" the medic asked in heavily-accented Basic. He was a Rodian, small, slender, and green-skinned, with a satchel slung over his shoulder and a scanner in one hand. His enormous black eyes glittered in the spotlights on the bridge. "Are you serious?"

"I don't know if we can trust his words," Lomning cautioned. "He enjoyed toying with people. But it is the only hope we have to help our friend."

"Sir," Jorgan said, turning to Torve, "We won't leave Captain Tsel'rianeen out here unarmed. Is there anything you can do?"

One of the Jedi, a blue-skinned Nautolan woman with huge black eyes, stepped forward. "Major Torve, please allow myself and Master Zhin to take charge of Captain Tsel'rianeen," she said, gesturing to the other Jedi, a Zabrak man with dark brown skin and short, bone-white horns curling up though his black hair. "We will take responsibility for her while we are investigating the claims of a cure. The medical ward has secure rooms where she will not be a danger to anyone."

"Ah, Master Karu," Torve said, stepping aside to let the woman join the group. "That would be acceptable to me," he said, but Rian was shaking her head.

"I'm not letting myself turn into one of those things," Rian said firmly. "I don't like the idea of being stuck in a cell, without any choice in the matter."

The Nautolan tilted her head to look at Rian, the many long, _lekku_ -like tails on her head sliding to the side as she did. "We would not allow you to suffer, if you did not wish to."

"I won't ask anyone else to do that for me," Rian told her apologetically. "This is my choice, and it should be my finger on the trigger."

"Would you accept a different means?" Master Zhin asked. "The medics have alternatives to blasters."

Rian nodded slowly, ignoring the strangled sound from Corso behind her. "Yeah, that works for me." Whatever medicines they had available would hopefully hurt less than a blaster shot anyways.

"Then it appears we may have an agreement," Lomning said, folding his hands together. "If this is acceptable to you, Major?"

"I certainly owe you, for your work on the _Endar Spire_ , and it sounds like there shouldn't be any danger to the personnel in the base. And finding a cure benefits us all."

Rian took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She could hear a quiet commotion behind her and glanced back. Corso looked furious, and Xirra had her chin stuck out stubbornly. "Not here, not now," Rian hissed over her shoulder, and Corso subsided with ill grace. She knew her first mate didn't like this scenario any more than she did, but this wasn't the time or place to argue about it.

"All right," Rian said, turning back to Torve. "Let's get this over with. I'm starving, covered in mud, and sick of standing out here in the dark being eaten by bugs."

"You will all need to be tested first," the Rodian medic said, lifting his scanner. Rian offered her arm, and he took a quick sample of blood from her. He frowned at his readout and looked up at her apologetically. "You have the plague, I am sorry. But like you said, it is in the early stages yet."

"Not exactly a shock," Rian replied with a half-hearted smile before stepping aside to let him test the rest of her crew. Their blood was all clean, and Torve nodded.

"Come on, then. We'll get you all settled. Will the rest of your crew be staying on the ship?"

Rian glanced over at them and was met with a series of blank looks. She didn't exactly blame them for not thinking that far ahead. "I guess so, since that's probably easiest. You can contact them there, if there's any news."

"At the very least, I can feed you all," Torve said. He glanced at the speeder and waved to the Rodian. "Can you take it back? It's not big enough for all of us, so I'll walk everyone back. And I assume Master Karu will join us?"

Master Karu nodded, hands tucked into her sleeves. Master Zhin stepped back into the speeder with the Rodian medic as he climbed in and started the engines. The speeder lifted up off the ground and he turned it carefully to head back to the gate.

"Captain," Torve said, dropping back to walk with Rian. "I'm going to have to ask you to relinquish your weapons, of course."

"Of course," she repeated. She definitely understood his position, but she hated giving up her pistols. "I'll have them taken back to the ship." She turned to hand them to Corso. "And can you bring me something else to wear? And maybe something to read?"

Corso looked flustered, and he juggled Flashy for a moment before he managed to get a firm grip on both blasters. "I... ah... suppose so."

"I can handle that," Lomning interjected smoothly, holding out his hand for her vibroknife as Corso tried to figure out how to get a hand free to take it from her. "If Corso can make sure that your weapons are properly looked after."

"Thanks, Lomning," Corso said and Rian wondered just what was going on. Then she pictured Corso poking through her underthings, looking for something for her to wear, and thought she might have figured it out. She ducked her head to hide a grin at that mental image.

The cell that Rian was shown to was surprisingly comfortable. It didn't have much in the way of privacy, being one open room except for a screen that closed off the back corner, but it did have a proper bed, a small dresser that doubled as a nightstand, and a table and single chair. Of course, the whole front wall was open so that it could be sealed off with a force shield, but Rian had expected that.

"Can we stay?" Corso asked, eying the cell mistrustfully.

"I don't see why not," Torve said with a shrug. "I'll have food brought for everyone. And I'd like to join you, if that's all right. I want to hear the whole story."

"I don't mind," Rian replied. "Though I'd like a few minutes to clean up first. Do you guys mind heading back to the ship to bring me some clothes?"

"We will be back shortly," Lomning said, overriding everyone else's objections and practically herding them out the door.

Rian hesitated at the threshold of the cell. Torve was standing nearby, talking quietly into his earpiece, and Master Karu was at the end of the hall, seeing her crew out. Willingly walking into a cell wasn't something Rian had ever hoped to do but she squared her shoulders and strode inside, not letting herself think about it. She didn't have to like it, but it really was the best solution at the moment.

Behind her, she could hear soft footsteps. She turned to see the Nautolan woman - Master Karu - standing outside the cell. Rian's new accommodations faced a blank stretch of hallway, which was better than possibly staring through a forcefield at another cell. At least it gave her some illusion of privacy, instead of looking directly into another room.

"I do not believe that we need to seal you in just yet," she said, voice soft. "Doctor Roolek said that your blood test shows that the disease is still in its early stages, and I assume you would prefer to have dinner with your crew without a force field in between you."

Rian was surprised but pleased, and smiled back at the Jedi. "That's very generous, thank you."

"We will have to activate the force field tonight, but I see no reason to do so at the moment." She gestured deeper into the room. "Please, refresh yourself. I will assist Major Torve in setting up for the meal. Do let me know if you require anything."

"Thank you," Rian said again. The Jedi bowed to her and retreated.

The screened-off portion of the cell contained a small fresher cubicle and a toilet. There was a pile of towels, and a white robe hanging beside the fresher. There was just enough room in the small space for Rian to peel off her muddy armour, which she piled neatly in the corner before climbing into the fresher. Being on-planet meant that it was a water shower, rather than a sonic one, and she luxuriated in the heat of it as it poured over her.

Being clean made her feel better, and she dried off and pulled the robe on. She could hear voices from outside, but no one was visible from her vantage point. She assumed they were giving her as much privacy as they could, given the situation.

A burst of noise from down the hall heralded the arrival of her crew, and Rian smiled to herself as she stepped out of the room to meet them. Corso was laughing at something, and she heard Xirra's more reserved giggle as well. They all looked more cheerful when they came around the corner, though Jorgan looked away when he caught sight of her, a scowl sliding onto his face. They had all changed into civilian clothes, though all still wore blaster pistols on their hips. She felt underdressed in her robe and bare feet, and cinched the belt a little tighter.

"Here, Captain, we brought you some stuff," Corso said, slinging a bag off his shoulder and handing it over to her. It wasn't very heavy, but then again she wasn't going to be here long, whatever happened.

"Thanks, Riggs," she said, tossing it neatly into the centre of the bed. She would unpack later, after her crew had gone back to the ship. She was sure she would need something to help distract her.

Torve and Master Karu came around the corner just then, followed by a small army of young soldiers bearing a long folding table, chairs, and trays of covered dishes. There was just enough room to set the table up, half in and half out of Rian's cell. There was steam seeping from under the covers on the dishes, and Rian's mouth started watering when she caught a whiff. She hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, and her stomach growled as she sat down.

At least she wasn't the only one. Her whole crew was digging in hungrily as the food was passed around. As soon as everyone's plates were full, the young soldiers were shooed away by Torve, who had snagged a seat at the head of the table. He was flanked by Viggota and Jorgan, with Xirra and Rian beside them, then Corso and Lomning. Master Karu sat at the far end opposite Torve.

Torve let Rian and her crew take the edge off their hunger before he leaned his elbows on the table and glanced at Jorgan. "Okay, you owe me a story."

"Do we have to do this now?" the Cathar asked, though he sounded resigned. "Don't we have more pressing things to deal with first?"

"Like what?" Torve asked with a grin, clearly enjoying tweaking his old commanding officer's whiskers. "The medical team is going over the notes you found at the Imperial base, and the data recovery experts are combing through the stuff you pulled off the _Endar Spire_. If there's anything in there about a cure, they'll find it."

"Are they going to work through the night?" Jorgan asked sourly.

"They are, actually," Torve said, the smile sliding off his face. "We're taking this seriously, Jorgan. We don't want Captain Tsel'rianeen to turn any more than you do. And the faster we can find a cure for this, the better things will go here for us. We've lost a lot of good people to this."

"Just Rian is fine," Rian told Torve when Jorgan seemed at a loss of what to say in response to that. "But he's not wrong. There are some things I want answers to. For example, what's going on with the charges against Corso?"

"Still under investigation," Torve said, redirecting his attention to her. "We're still gathering witness statements and reviewing the security footage from the mess hall. I'll update you when I've got some news."

Rian nodded. It wasn't the best news, but she wasn't sure Corso was going to get off completely free anyways. The security footage would definitely show him as the aggressor, and no one else had been close enough to have overheard Muro's words. Not that Corso should have shoved the guy, no matter what he had said, but it could have been argued that Muro had provoked him.

Aside from making sure that Corso wouldn't get tossed in a cell, the only things Rian had left to do were to put her affairs in order. She would have to record her wishes for Corso to take over her ship, but that was something she could do later, after her crew had gone. For now, she just wanted to enjoy this time with them.

The conversation moved on to more pleasant things after that, and Jorgan finally told Torve the story of Havoc Squad's defection and the circumstances that had led to him and Viggota leaving the Republic Army. Torve was appropriately shocked, and shook his head incredulously.

"I'd have never imagined you voluntarily taking off the uniform," he told Jorgan. "I thought all you wanted was to fight Imps."

"I fought a bunch of them today," the Cathar rumbled, toying with the last few bites on his plate without eating them. "And I didn't have to write up any after-action reports about it either."

Torve laughed and marked a point in the air in the Cathar's favour. "I'll grant you that. So you like it, being an independent?"

Jorgan's gaze slid around the table and his eyes met Rian's for a moment before flicking back to Torve. "It's got its perks," he told the other man. "I've got a lot more freedom than I did as a soldier. And the food's generally better," he said with a laugh and a nod at Lomning. "But I miss it sometimes too. And like I said, we made an agreement with SIS that this was a trial period. The door's always open for us to go back if we decide it isn't for us."

Rian looked down at her empty plate to hide her expression. She hoped Jorgan and Viggota would stay, but if she died, there wasn't really anything left holding them there. The agreement with General Garza and the SIS had technically been with Rian as the captain. Viggota had already told her that he would stay, but she wasn't sure if Jorgan would. She hoped that he would at least consider it - Corso was going to need all the help that he could get.

The meal eventually wound down, and after the third time that Corso tried unsuccessfully to hide a yawn Rian pushed her chair back from the table and stood. "Right, off you go. You're going to fall asleep in your seats if you don't head back now."

"But Captain..." Corso protested.

"But nothing," she interrupted, softening it with a fond look at her first mate. "I want some sleep too. I'll see you guys tomorrow," she added with a questioning look at Torve and Master Karu.

"I don't see any problems with visitors," the major replied as the Jedi nodded in agreement.

"There, see? Go get some sleep, and I'll see you in the morning." The others slowly stood, and Torve called for another team of young soldiers to clear away the remains of their meal.

The next few minutes were a bit chaotic but Rian's crew all managed to find a moment to clasp hands or give her a hug. Corso looked a little lost as he offered his hand until Rian pulled him into a tight hug. "It'll be all right, Farm Boy. I'm going to fight this."

"That's good to hear, Captain," he said, voice rough. Xirra looped her arm through Corso's, leaning tight against his side.

Rian patted his hair gently and then stepped back to let Viggota pull her into a one-armed hug. Jorgan hovered awkwardly behind Viggota, offering his hand for her to clasp. Lomning set a hand on her shoulder and squeezed briefly. She felt a wash of golden warmth go through her at his touch and cocked an eyebrow at him. "It cannot hurt," he told her with a shrug.

"I suppose not," she said, letting herself soak up their presence for a moment. "All right," she said, releasing them reluctantly. "Off with you. I'll see you tomorrow."

Everyone murmured their farewells and slipped quietly out of the room. Rian watched them go with a heavy heart, even though she knew she still had days to go before she had to worry about turning into a rakghoul. That didn't stop this from feeling like an ending.

*****

Master Karu had been polite and apologetic when she had returned from seeing the others out and told Rian it was time to seal the force field. "There is a communications system here," she said, showing Rian the panel set into the wall by the bed. It also controlled the lights in the cell. "There are also sensors and cameras, naturally, though the camera feed will only be activated if our scans indicate that you are in medical distress, and you do not answer our hails."

"Makes sense," Rian said with a shrug. She knew she wouldn't have any real privacy, but she understood. The rakghoul plague wasn't something you wanted to let surprise you. "This is awfully nice for someone who's going to turn into a mindless beast in a few days," she said, flicking open the bag that Corso had brought her. There were a few changes of comfortable clothes and a datapad tucked inside, along with one of her sabacc decks. She started folding the clothes neatly into the small dresser.

"You are not yet mindless," Master Karu told her with a gentle smile. "And on that note, this is for you." She handed Rian a small vial. Rian held it up to the light to see that it was filled with a colourless liquid. "You will sleep, and you will not wake."

"It won't hurt?" Rian asked, carefully tucking it into the top drawer. She made sure it was within easy reach of the bed, just in case the change started in the middle of the night.

Master Karu shook her head. "It will not. You will simply fall asleep."

"Thank you," Rian replied, closing the drawer firmly. She didn't need it just yet. "Is it all right if I make a call? I want to contact my droid, to put my affairs in order. He'll be able to pass along my instructions."

"Of course," the Jedi replied. "You may use our communications array, or your own."

Rian moved over to where she had left her muddy armour sitting beside the screen that hid the 'fresher and picked up her wrist computer from the top of the pile. "I'll use mine. But can you have the rest of my gear sent back to the ship?"

She was hesitant to hand her dirty gear over to the immaculate Jedi, but Master Karu stepped into the room before Rian could figure out what else to do and picked up the pile without hesitation. "I will have this cleaned, and sent to your ship. Now I will leave you for the evening. Do not hesitate to call, if you need anything. There will be someone monitoring the comms at all hours."

"Thanks," Rian said, nodding awkwardly in response to the Nautolan's graceful bow. Master Karu left the room and the force field activated with a faint hum.

She took her time arranging her meagre belongings, hoping that at least most of her crew would be asleep by the time she called. She routed the call through to Seetoo's charging station, which was tucked near the engines at the aft of the ship. If the droid wasn't there, it would ping his central processor to let him know Rian was trying to reach him.

Seetoo answered within a minute, and seemed surprised to see her when the holo connection activated. "Master? Is everything all right?"

"Not really," she told him. "Have you been brought up to speed?"

"Yes, Master Lomning was kind enough to explain the situation to me. Would you like me to fetch him?"

"No, I called because I need to talk to you," Rian said, leaning back against the wall. She was sitting at the head of the bed, propped up on a pillow. "I need to make arrangements, in case I don't make it. Are you alone?"

"At the moment, yes," the droid said, twisting his torso awkwardly to look from side to side. "What can I assist you with, Master?"

"If I don't survive this, the _Event Horizon_ goes to Corso. Give him access to all my files and my contacts. I want to give him every chance to succeed. And as for you," she shrugged, feeling the press of the unyielding wall against her shoulder blades. "Your choice. You can stay with him, or find new work."

"I do like Master Riggs," Seetoo said. "I will stay with him."

"I'm glad to hear that," Rian replied, rubbing a hand over her face. "I think that's about it. I don't have much to my name other than the ship. Oh, but make sure you get word to Joro and Lia. They should know."

"I will do that, Master," Seetoo said. His immobile face didn't show emotion well, so Rian wasn't sure what he was thinking. "I do hope that I will be able to see you again soon."

"Me too," she said. "Keep that ship of mine running as best you can, though. All right?"

"Very well," Seetoo said with a short bow.

"Good," Rian said. "That's all I had to say. I'm going to try to get some sleep."

"Good night, Master," Seetoo said. Rian offered him a half-hearted smile and cut the channel. She set her wrist computer carefully on the dresser and wriggled down underneath the covers with a sigh. She wasn't sure she would be able to sleep, but exhausting herself wouldn't do any good either. She could just barely reach the wall controls from where she was, and she thumbed the lights off, leaving her in darkness.


	14. Chapter 14

The next day passed quietly for Rian.  She had visitors show up just after she had given the medical team another blood sample and was finishing up her breakfast - Corso and Xirra, with one a young man in a medic's uniform following with folding chairs and a small table.  They told her that Lomning was working with the Republic medics on Dorant's notes and would be by later, and that Viggota and Jorgan were meeting with Torve, giving him all the information they could about Dorant and the Imperial base.  The Republic knew there were Imperials on Taris, but the two groups hadn't had much direct contact yet.  Viggota and Jorgan's information could be invaluable.

The morning dragged by slowly, despite Corso and Xirra doing everything they could to carry the conversation.  Rian knew she was bad company, but she couldn't help it.  Still, it was nice to see how well Corso and Xirra were getting along.  They seemed to have formed a solid bond, for all that they hadn't known each other very long.  She knew that Corso trusted easily, given how quick he had been to offer help to Rian when Skavak had stolen her ship and left her stranded on Ord Mantell, but Xirra was another story.  The girl still didn't seem keen on discussing anything about her past, but she clearly had connected with Corso.  He was an easy man to trust.

Lomning joined them for lunch, bringing a tray for Rian that he slipped through the specially-constructed hatch in the side of her cell.  He looked tired, and Rian wondered if he had actually slept last night, or if he had worked on Dorant's notes the whole time.  He seemed cheerful enough, though he didn't have any news to share yet.  "There is so much data,"  he said with a shake of his head.  "Some of it we probably never would have learned, because we do not condone the methods that Dorant used.  But it may help us, now that we have it."

"Nothing about a cure?"  Corso asked unhappily.

"Not yet,"  Lomning said, toying with his food.  "But much of his data is encoded.  We are having a difficult time accessing some of it."

"Ask Jorgan,"  Rian said.  "Or Viggota, but Jorgan might be your best bet.  He was working with Havoc, before they defected.  He knew Needles better than anyone else here.  Maybe he can help."

"A good idea,"  Lomning said, looking thoughtful.  He excused himself shortly thereafter, taking the empty trays with him.

Corso and Xirra stayed for the rest of the afternoon, trading stories and doing their best to draw Rian into the conversation.  She made an effort to shake herself out of her funk and shared a few stories.  She made sure that she was giving Corso advice he would need to run her ship after she was gone, though she tried not to be too obvious about it.  She thought she had done a fairly good job, since Corso was laughing at her stories more often than not.  Hopefully the advice would stick.

Viggota and Jorgan showed up just before dinner.  The big young Human looked tired, stubble shadowing his usually clean-shaven head and face.  Jorgan was scowling, but that was normal.  Corso and Xirra went to find more chairs and ask about dinner as the soldiers sprawled in the chairs in front of Rian's cell.

"Did Lomning get a hold of you guys?"  Rian asked.  She had pulled her chair and table close to the force field and was leaning the chair back on two legs with her legs crossed on the table top.

"Yeah, that's why we're only getting here now,"  Viggota replied.  "Jorgan was able to help, though.  It turned out that Dorant was using an old Havoc encryption code."  He made a face.  "We had to send a message to Garza to let her know that the Imps have it, so it won't be secure any more."

"That's good,"  Rian said, letting her head fall back until her _lekku_ nearly brushed the floor.  "Hopefully there's something interesting in those files."

"The medical team was getting pretty excited about some of them as we were leaving,"  Viggota said.  "Whether or not it's immediately helpful is another thing, though."

The three of them lapsed into silence until Corso and Xirra returned.  They had found two more chairs, and were trailed by the same young medic, carrying a tray of dinner.  "Lomning won't be joining us,"  Corso said as he sat down.  "He's too engrossed in that new data."  He waited until the medic had left before continuing.  "He said there might be something there,"  he told Rian.  "He wouldn't tell us any more, though."

Rian felt her heart jump a little as she stood to accept her tray.  She tried to tamp down on the feeling, not wanting to get her hopes up too much.  "Hopefully he'll have something he can tell us soon."

She had been half-expecting Lomning to show up, either during dinner or shortly thereafter, and was surprised after everyone had left to return to the ship that he hadn't.  She changed and climbed into bed with a shrug.  He was probably still working.  She didn't know if Jedi could go longer without sleep than regular folks, but she wouldn't have been surprised to learn that they could.

*****

The lights flashed on suddenly in the middle of the night and Rian rolled out of bed, hands going for her blasters.  She always slept with them in easy reach, usually under her pillow or beside the bed, and was unpleasantly surprised when she came up empty.

"I am sorry,"  Lomning said from the other side of the force field.  "I should have woken you more gently."

Rian straightened up slowly, blinking in the bright lights and rubbing sleep from her eyes as she remembered where she was.  She flicked her _lekku_ back over her shoulders and climbed to her feet to approach the force field.  Lomning looked tired, with dark blue circles under his eyes and his robes in disarray.

"I assume you have news?"  she said, crossing her arms over her chest.  She was wearing a white tank top and a pair of loose grey sleep pants that were a couple of inches too long and nearly covered her bare feet.  They had belonged to a Republic courier that she had rescued from a stranded ship a couple of years ago.  She had come across his distress signal purely by chance after his ship had been damaged by a malfunction on board and had rescued him just before his air had run out.  They had hit it off and he had chosen to stay on the _Event Horizon_ for the two weeks it took her to get back to Republic space rather than disembarking at her first port of call and catching another ship back.  His sleep pants had somehow ended up left behind in one of her drawers after she had delivered him safely back to Republic space.  They were comfortable, even if they were just a bit too long.  She shifted from foot to foot to tuck the excess fabric under her feet to keep them off the cold durasteel floor.

"We have a good lead,"  Lomning said, rubbing a hand over his face.  "It appears that Dorant found something in the ruins of a nearby hospital.  Before the bombardment, the medics there had been working on a cure for the plague.  They appear to have been successful, but the hospital was heavily damaged in the Sith attacks, and they were not able to distribute it before Taris was destroyed."

"There's a cure?"  Rian asked, feeling her heart jump into her throat.  It was more than she had dared to hope for.

"We are not sure yet,"  Lomning cautioned.  "The chemical breakdown was not included in Dorant's notes.  But you must remember that even if we are able to find whatever he found that it will be three hundred years old.  There is no guarantee that it will still be viable."

"So we're going to this hospital, on the off chance that we might be able to find whatever he found?"  She pressed a hand against the force field, and it shimmered blue under her fingers.  "Will they even let me go?"

"I will try to convince them,"  Lomning said.  "But we should leave as soon as possible.  The hospital is not far, but we do not know what it might contain.  It has not yet been explored by the Republic recovery teams."

Rian nodded, wrapping her arms tightly around herself.  She wasn't feeling any different yet, and the blood test Master Karu had taken before she had gone to bed didn't show that the virus had progressed any further, but Lomning was right.  They were running out of time.

Just in case he was able to secure her release, Rian got dressed while Lomning went to rouse the others.  She paced her cell, nearly soundless in her soft ship shoes.  She would need her boots, if she was going out into the swamp, and her armour.  But she trusted Lomning to think of everything, even if he did look like he hadn't slept in a couple of days.

Commotion in the hall drew her back to the force field, and she pressed herself close to it to peer down the hall.  The force field hissed and crackled where she touched it, sending a tingle through her hands until it disappeared with a suddenness that nearly made her fall forward.  She just barely caught the edge of the wall before she ended up on her face in the hallway.

Lomning was in the lead as her crew rounded the corner, and he grinned at her, clearly having seen her near-tumble.  She rolled her eyes at him and propped her hands on her hips.  "I guess I'm going?"

"Yes.  Get ready, quickly,"  the Jedi said, stepping aside so Corso could hand over her gear.

She shimmied into her armoured pants and jacket over the snug shirt and trousers she was already wearing, noting that the left shoulder of her jacket had been hastily mended from the rakghoul bite.  She could have done a better job, but the patch looked sturdy enough.  Assuming she survived this, there would be time enough to fix it properly later.  She swapped her soft shoes for her boots, which had been thoroughly cleaned after their last trek through the Tarisian swamp, and hopped to her feet.  "Ready,"  she said.  "Am I going to get brought up to speed?"

"On the way,"  Corso said, holding out her blasters.  She clipped them into place at her hips and tucked her vibroblade into the top of her right boot.  She strapped on her wrist computer but left everything else behind in the cell.  She trusted that Torve or Master Karu would get everything sent back to the ship.  Either way, she wouldn't be coming back here.

Rian didn't realize just how much her captivity had been wearing on her until she stepped outside of the medical building.  Breathing free air again, even the hot, close air of the Tarisian night, put a fresh spring in her step.

Torve was waiting outside with Master Karu and Master Zhin, one of the young Jedi that the _Event Horizon_ had brought to Taris, and a five-person squad of soldiers, anonymous in their helmets and armour.  Their gear looked well-used, but equally well-cared-for.

Rian nodded at Torve and the three Jedi, coming to a halt with her crew as they fanned out around her with Corso and Xirra on her right, and Lomning, Viggota, and Jorgan on her left.  "I hear we might have a plan?"

"We found indications in Dorant's notes that he may have found the cure he was talking about in the ruins of the Dynamet General Hospital."  Torve said.  "We thought that the building had been mostly destroyed by the bombardment so it's low on the priority list for exploration, but based on Dorant's notes it appears there may be an extensive underground complex beneath it, where there was research being done on the rakghoul plague.  This seems substantiated by the information we got from the _Endar Spire_.  There were a couple of messages that were passed back and forth before the bombardment about a cure, but it doesn't seem like it was ever distributed."  Torve jerked his head at the Jedi and the soldiers standing with him.  "We're sending a team with you.  We have no idea what might be down there.  We know the Imperials know about it, but we don't know if any other factions have discovered it or not.  And, of course, it might be full of rakghouls."

Rian glanced around at her crew, who all looked ready and eager to go, despite it being the middle of the night.  "All right.  Then let's move,"  she said, stepping forward.

"Ma'am,"  one of the soldiers said, saluting her.  The voice, though the helmet's speakers, was decidedly female and Rian noticed lieutenant's bars on her armour.  "I'm Lieutenant Kassynn.  My squad will be accompanying you to the hospital and assisting in the recovery efforts."

"Good to meet you, Lieutenant,"  Rian said, offering her hand.  "Captain Tsel'rianeen, but you can call me Rian."  The lieutenant's handshake was firm but not bruising, and she stepped back out of the way as Master Karu and Master Zhin approached.

"Captain, I will be accompanying you upon Knight Lomning's request,"  Master Zhin said with a bow.  "As will our young healer, Knight Adik."  Rian bowed back to the Zabrak and the Human, the poor young man who had suffered from such terrible space sickness during the trip from Tython to Taris.  He looked much better now, though the tightness around his eyes betrayed his nervousness at this new assignment.

"It's always good to have more Jedi along,"  Rian said, though she glanced over at Lomning.

"I am currently using much of my personal energy to keep myself awake,"  the big Twi'lek explained.  "I can continue to operate at my usual level for some days yet, but I would be more comfortable having Master Zhin and Knight Adik along to assist in the event we are attacked."

"Fair enough,"  Rian replied, filing that away for future reference.  She wondered how long Lomning could stay awake, and how long he would need to recover from it afterwards.

"We're not getting anything done standing around here talking,"  Viggota said briskly.  "We can bring everyone up to speed on our way to the hospital."

*****

In the hour it took them to walk to the hospital, Rian managed to get the whole story.  It turned out that Dorant's "slow-acting"  version of the rakghoul plague was actually based on an older strain.  The virus had always been extremely contagious, but it was only the more modern version that could transform a person into a rakghoul within hours.  Three hundred years ago, the same transformation would have taken a day or two.  Needles had simply worked with the older strain that he had found preserved in the Dynamet General Hospital to slow the transformation even further.

His research notes, once they had been decrypted, had also mentioned the cure that the ancient Tarisians had been working on before the bombardment.  He himself hadn't done much work with the cure, as he was more interested in infecting people than curing them, but Lomning's hope was that since Rian had been infected with a strain that more closely resembled the ancient virus than the modern one, the cure that had been developed may work on her.

"It is unlikely to work on the modern virus,"  Lomning explained in her ear.  They were speaking quietly as they cautiously transversed the darkened swamp, but their communicators picked up even the softest whisper and Rian could hear him perfectly well.  "The strain has mutated too far from the ancient version.  But it would be a starting point for our medics."

"It could advance our work on a cure by years,"  came another voice.  It was the medic from Lieutenant Kassynn's squad, a woman with a strong Imperial accent.  Rian bet she had an interesting story to tell.  "We have had so little success so far.  If we are able to find a cure, even a three hundred year old one, we could save a lot of people."

The group lapsed into silence as they made their way through the swamp.  There was actually something like a road leading the way to the hospital, which made trudging through the dark a lot easier.  The path was lit by the headlamps on the soldiers' armour and the mingled gold and green glow of lightsabers.

Even after they stopped speaking, the Tarisian night was far from silent.  The darkness was filled with a myriad of sounds that Rian assumed were from birds or insects or something of that ilk.  She didn't pretend to know much about planet-bound creatures.

Up ahead of them, the trees thinned out and the dark bulk of a ruined building loomed ahead of them.  In the lead, Viggota and Lieutenant Kassynn held up their hands in unison to call for a halt and Rian bit back a grin.  You could take the soldier out of the army, but you couldn't take the army out of the soldier.

"Any movement?"  Jorgan asked.  He was near the back of the group, his sharp eyes watching the rear.

"Nothing yet,"  Viggota replied quietly.  Rian knew the soldiers had some sort of night vision capabilities in their helmets and could probably see their surroundings much better than she could.

"Looks clear so far,"  Lieutenant Kassynn said.  "Let's move."

Rian, Xirra, Lomning and the other two Jedi were in the centre of the group of soldiers, and Rian let them dictate the pace and the path as they moved forward.  She hated not being able to see clearly, and couldn't wait until the sun rose.

She couldn't make out much of the hospital in the dark, but it looked like at least a few pieces of wall were still standing.  The empty holes where windows had been gaped darker than the night around them.  Vines crawled up the sides of the remaining structure.

Lieutenant Kassynn had studied the hospital blueprints and the survey team maps, and had a rough idea of where the entrance to the underground portion of the facility might be.  There had been at least one inside the hospital, but that entrance was buried under tons of rubble from the collapsed western arm of the building.  One of the satellite scans had shown a possible entrance from outside where some of the damage had potentially revealed a direct route into the subterranean facility.  She waved for the team to spread out to search for it.

In the end it was Viggota that found the entrance, by nearly falling into it.  The ground gave way suddenly beneath his boots and it was only Corso's diving grab for his arm that kept him from disappearing into the hole.  The young man grunted as he took Viggota's full weight, and Rian and Xirra hastened to help him.

Lieutenant Kassynn's squad had brought ropes on the possibility that they would need them to get into the lower levels, and it took them a few minutes to get a harness around Viggota and haul him out of the hole.

Rian dropped to the ground beside the big young soldier while the Republic squad cleared the entrance and set up a winch to lower them safely down into the hole.  Viggota grimaced and rolled his shoulder until Lomning approached to heal the damage.  "Thanks, Corso,"  he said, leaning back on his hands to watch Kassynn's squad work.  "I appreciate the save."

"No problem,"  Corso replied with a grin.  "I'm just glad I was close enough."  He sat up straighter when Lomning healed the strained muscles in his arm and shoulder as well.  They would want everyone at full capacity once they were inside the hospital.

They sat in silence after that, watching Kassynn's squad.  it didn't take them long to get everything set up, and the lieutenant waved them over.  "My team will be going in first,"  she told them in a tone that brooked no argument.  "Viggota and Jorgan, I'd like you two to go last, so you can keep an eye on things up here."

"Makes sense,"  Jorgan rumbled with an approving nod.  Rian didn't know if Torve had told Kassynn to treat Viggota and Jorgan the same as the other soldiers, or if the woman had made that determination herself.  Either way, Rian appreciated the show of respect, and it appeared that Viggota and Jorgan did as well.

The soldiers descended one by one into the darkness below the hospital, the lights from their headlamps flickering in the darkness.  When it came to her turn, Rian strapped herself into the harness and let one of Kassynn's sergeants lower her down.

The air in the underground space was moist and warm and smelt of rust, dirt, and rotting vegetation.  Rian could also smell a different kind of rot as she descended further, as if something had died down here.

She unclipped herself from the harness as soon as her boots touched the ground.  Lieutenant Kassynn's squad was spread out in a fan around their entry point, their headlamps illuminating the room.

There was a wall at Rian's back, though there was water seeping in through the durasteel plates and making the floor slick underfoot.  The room itself disappeared into darkness beyond the reach of the headlamps.  It was filled with the shadowy shapes of rows of equipment, and Rian moved closer to one of the machines to investigate.  She didn't immediately recognize it, and her tentative attempts to activate it showed that it didn't seem to have any power running to it.

Once everyone had joined them, save for the two sergeants that had been left on the surface to guard the winch, Kassynn turned to Lomning.  "Okay, Jedi, this is your show.  You have a better idea of what we're looking for, and you've read all the intel we have.  Where are we headed?"

"Deeper, I would guess,"  Lomning said, peering into the room.  "Research on something like the rakghoul plague would need to be in a secure lab, and those are generally contained on lower levels in the case of a breach."

"Stairs are this way,"  the lieutenant said, pointing to her left.  "From the blueprints we have, there are at least three levels below us, but a lot of the data we've been able to recover is incomplete.  There could be a lot more down here.  Master Zhin, Viggota, you're on point.  Jorgan, you're rear guard.  You've got the best eyes and ears out of everyone here.  Light armour in the centre.  Let's move."  She stepped back to let the warrior Jedi and the heavily-armoured Viggota lead the way.

They made their way slowly through the echoing space beneath the hospital.  Rian could hear water dripping from somewhere in the darkness.  She couldn't hear any signs of life, nor could she see where the scent of rot was coming from.  Master Zhin spotted the stairs first, and called a halt.

"I believe it would be best if I proceeded ahead alone,"  he said, the green glow of his lightsaber reflecting in his dark eyes.  "I can move more silently than the rest of you.  I can see if there are any signs of life below."

"No splitting up,"  Kassynn said, shaking her head.  "I won't let anyone go off alone.  We don't know what's down there, and we also don't know how stable the structure is.  I'm not going to risk anyone getting ambushed or hurt.  We're sticking together."

The Jedi shrugged his acquiescence, letting Lieutenant Kassynn make the call.  But he was right - even in full armour he made a lot less noise than the soldiers.  "Let me go with him,"  Rian said, pushing her way forward.  "I don't make a whole lot of noise either, and then he'd have backup, if he needed it."

The lieutenant cocked her helmeted head at Rian, who straightened under the scrutiny.  She still didn't feel any different, and hadn't noticed any symptoms of the plague, but she knew she probably didn't have much longer.  She would do anything she could to speed this up.

"That works for me,"  the lieutenant finally said.  "Keep your comm lines open."

Master Zhin went first down the stairs, the green glow of his lightsaber illuminating the space.  Rian felt like they were only calling attention to themselves but as neither of them could see in the dark, they didn't have any other options.  Well, she knew she couldn't.  She didn't know what sort of Jedi tricks the Zabrak might have up his sleeves.

The next level down seemed smaller than the one above them, judging by the echoes.  It was possible that it was divided up into smaller sections than the vast room above them, which was more promising.  As Lomning had said, the research would have been taking place in a secure environment, and it was much easier to control a smaller space than a larger one.

The stairs continued down for at least one more level, and Master Zhin peered over the rusting handrail into the darkness below.  "I do not sense anything on this level, Lieutenant,"  he murmured into his communicator.  "The stairs continue down.  Should we proceed?"

"One more level, and then we'll follow,"  Lieutenant Kassynn said, her voice crisp in Rian's ear.  Master Zhin murmured his acknowledgement and continued down the stairs.  Rian let him get a few steps ahead before she followed, placing her feet carefully on the slightly uneven stairs.  At least there wasn't much debris here.  Being underground seemed to have protected this part of the hospital from being damaged too badly during the bombardment.

"Wait,"  Rian whispered, and Master Zhin froze ahead of her.  She leaned carefully close to the rusting railing, though she didn't trust her weight to it, and peered down the stairs.  "Can you shut your lightsaber off?"  she asked the Jedi.  She was gratified when he didn't question her before powering it down.  She blinked a few times, trying to get her eyes to adjust more quickly, and nodded in satisfaction.  "There's light down there,"  she said.  "I'm not sure how far down, but it's definitely there."

"I see it as well,"  Master Zhin said quietly from beside her.  Rian still couldn't see him, even with the dim light shining up from below.  It was at least two or three levels further down.

"Stay there,"  Lieutenant Kassynn said briskly.  "We'll join you on that level to figure out our next move.  I don't want you too far ahead of us, in case you find trouble."

Master Zhin reignited his lightsaber and he and Rian climbed the last few steps down to the next floor.  It was split into smaller rooms, and Rian holstered Flashy so she could rub at the dust covering one of the windows to peer inside.  It looked like an office of some sort, though she couldn't see it well with only the green glow of Master Zhin's lightsaber.  She could make out the shadowy shape of a large desk, and what looked like shelves set along the far wall.

The sound of boots on the stairs and the clatter of armoured plates was very loud, even though Rian suspected the soldiers were actually trying to move quietly.  She wiped her hand clean on her trousers and drew her blaster again.  She didn't know if whoever was below them had guards or scouts out, but she wouldn't be surprised if they had heard Lieutenant Kassynn and the others.

"What's the plan?"  Rian asked quietly, putting her back to the wall beside the door she had checked.  It gave her a good view of the stairwell and the sergeant that Lieutenant Kassynn set to guard it.  "I don't pretend to know who's down there, but I know rakghouls don't use lights.  And we know that Needles knew about this place, so it's possible that he told the Imps."

"It's also possible it's pirates,"  the lieutenant said.  "We've had problems with them scavenging other facilities."

"So enemies, either way,"  Viggota interjected.  "Go in guns first?"

"That's probably the best move right now,"  Kassynn agreed.  "There shouldn't be any colonists in this area.  It hasn't been cleared for them yet.  So, shields up, guns ready.  Check your targets, though.  If it's pirates, they might have slaves or hostages.  Try not to hit anyone who's obviously a non-combatant."

Lieutenant Kassynn waited for everyone's acknowledgement before gesturing for Master Zhin and one of her sergeants to go first.  She let Viggota and Corso go next, followed by Lomning and the other sergeant, the woman with the medic's badge on her armour.  Rian and Lieutenant Kassynn went next, with Xirra and the young Jedi Adik behind them and Jorgan bringing up the rear.

They went down two more sets of stairs before they met resistance.  There was a guard set up in an empty room with a broken window who started firing as soon as the group started to pass by and Rian flung herself backwards to avoid the spray of blaster fire.  She couldn't see in through the window from the angle she was at, but that was a big gun in there.  Secondary fire from a smaller blaster told her that there were at least two gunners in the room.

The sergeant that had been leading the group was down with Lomning crouched over him, and Master Zhin was hard-pressed to deflect the bulk of the blaster bolts away from the rest of the group with his lightsaber blade.  Viggota and Corso were firing into the room but they didn't have a good angle either.  "Lomning!"  Rian shouted as she darted forward and yanked a grenade off of Viggota's belt.  "We're going to need a shield!"  Her aim was true and she heard a panicked shout from their attackers just before it went off.

Lomning had just barely managed to get a Force shield up in time, aided by Adik when the young Jedi saw what Rian was planning.  The blast shredded the door and most of the wall, but the debris skipped harmlessly off the Force shields.  Through the haze of dust and smoke, Rian could see a heavy gun emplacement squeezed into the tiny room, and the remains of what she assumed were two bodies, though it was hard to tell.  There was a moment of breathless silence before Lieutenant Kassynn rounded on Rian.

"What do you think you're doing?"  she snapped.  "I don't know how you run things on your ship, but you're under my command, and you'll follow my rules."

"Sorry,"  Rian said, standing slowly.  "I guess I missed the 'let them keep shooting at us from a highly defensible position but don't do anything about it' rule."  She picked her blasters back up from where she had discarded them to grab the grenade.  "Next time I'll wait until they take us all out, is that better?"  She lifted her chin, hating not only that the lieutenant was several inches taller than her, but also the fact that the helmet completely hid her face.  She had no idea what the woman was thinking.

"You've probably alerted the rest of them,"  Kassynn said, gesturing down the stairs.  Behind her, Lomning and Master Zhin were helping the sergeant back to his feet.  There were blaster burns across his shoulder and the side of his helmet, but he seemed unharmed, thanks to Lomning's quick intervention.

"I'm pretty sure they'd have heard the gunfire, regardless of what I did,"  Rian snapped back.

"Enough,"  Viggota interjected without any heat.  "You're both right.  Yes, we do things differently, but we should have given you more warning.  Still, it worked out.  But we need to be ready, because it's entirely possible that even if they somehow missed the gunfire and the explosion, the guards radioed ahead to warn them that we were coming."

"It's pirates, by the way,"  Jorgan called out from where he was picking his way gingerly through the blasted remains of the gun emplacement.  "Not Imps."

"Good to know,"  Lieutenant Kassynn replied, turning away from Rian.  It seemed the matter was settled for the moment, or that the lieutenant was just going to let it slide in the face of more pressing matters.  "Form up again.  Eyes open.  They must know we're here."


	15. Chapter 15

The fight with the pirates had been short but ugly. Even with Lomning and Adik's best efforts, one of Lieutenant Kassynn's squad had succumbed to his wounds but the rest of the injuries were more easily treatable. Rian had taken a blaster burn to the thigh and Corso had nearly lost an arm when part of a wall had collapsed on him. Rian had examined it afterwards and realized it had been rigged up to do that, presumably by the pirates. The rest of the space looked stable enough, so they didn't have to worry about the imminent threat of a collapse.

As Lieutenant Kassynn had warned, there had been some non-combatants in the group, mostly women, and Rian gritted her teeth at the sight of them. They were all barefoot, even in a place where a hasty evacuation three centuries before had left instruments and broken glass scattered across the floor. But it meant they couldn't easily run, so it was easier for the pirates to keep them in check. None of them were wearing more than a long tunic or a ragged dress, and she suspected that they weren't just there to cook and clean.

Master Zhin and Adik took charge of the women, drawing them together near the stairs to check them over for injuries and to try to keep them calm. Lieutenant Kassynn stayed nearby, calling back to Olaris Spaceport for transportation. There was no way that they would be able to walk back through the swamp on their own.

From the haphazard piles near the stairs, it looked like the pirates had been scavenging more or less blindly, taking anything they thought might be of value. It didn't seem like they knew what they had stumbled upon.

Under Lomning's direction, the others had spread out to search through the glass-walled hallways for signs of the cure that the ancient Tarisians had been working on. He cautioned them not to open any of the sealed chambers, but only to look for a specific series of numbers on the doors.

It was Rian who found it, and she froze in place once she realized that the numbers matched. She pressed her hands against the dusty transparisteel window that looked into a long, narrow lab. It didn't look all that different from the half-dozen other ones she had checked, but according to Lomning this was the one they needed. She checked the door again and realized that while it looked securely shut she could see tool marks on one edge where it may have been pried open at some point. Looking back up at the window, she noticed that hers weren't the only handprints in the dust.

She switched her comm channel over to a private one. "I think I found it," she told Lomning. She wasn't sure why she hadn't broadcast it to the whole group. She was almost worried that it was a dream, or that she was just seeing what she desperately wanted to see.

Lomning appeared so suddenly she wondered if he had learned how to teleport. He curled a supportive hand around Rian's shoulder and leaned over to read the numbers by the door. "I believe you are right," he said quietly. He turned to face her, hands on her shoulders. "Breathe, Rian. Try to stay calm. It will take some time for us to determine if we have found the cure."

She nodded, reaching up to squeeze his hands before stepping back. "Do what you need to do," she said, trying to slow her racing heart. She didn't know if this was the first sign that the disease was progressing, or if she was just anxious.

The young Jedi Adik and Kassynn's medic joined Lomning in the lab, the three of them donning biohazard suits and filtration masks before entering through the airlock. It wasn't working properly, not after three hundred years of neglect, but Lieutenant Kassynn's squad had brought a portable vacuum system to keep the air in the lab from cycling out into the rest of the room.

After the first few minutes, Rian found that she just couldn't stand around and watch any longer. She needed to be moving, or at least not staring through the dusty glass at the medics, who mostly seemed to be examining things and conversing in low tones. She was far too jittery to watch that for very long.

She strode away from the group, completely unsurprised to hear footsteps behind her. She turned to see the rest of her crew following her. "I brought a sabacc deck," Corso said, holding it out. "Want a game?"

"I guess," Rian said. They managed to scrounge a table and chairs from one of the offices and set it up just around the corner from the stairs. They could stay within sight of the rest of their group there, but still be far enough away that they could talk quietly without being overheard.

The first few hands were quiet, all of them distracted by what might be happening around the corner. Rian had turned her earpiece off but it was clear that the others hadn't, as the kept cocking their heads to listen to the conversation that she couldn't hear. She just couldn't handle the anticipation any longer. Either there would be good news or not. Listening to the medical team chatter about incomprehensible things had only made her more jumpy.

Suddenly, her crew all perked up as one. "Lomning thinks they have something," Viggota said, hand tightening on the edge of the table. Rian's cards tumbled out of her hands but she wasn't sure if she should get up or not. She was shaking, her hands trembling, and she wasn't sure her legs would support her weight. Was this really it? Had they done it?

"Come on," Jorgan said, holding out a hand to her. She needed his help to stand, but she was all right once she was up. Her crew clustered around her as she hurried to the lab where Lomning and the others were still working.

"We need a blood sample," Lomning said without looking up from his readouts. Jedi senses were creepy. "I want to test this first."

"Do I need to come in?" Rian asked, eyeing the strange contraption in the doorway.

"Yes, unfortunately," Lomning said, looking up with a grin. "But you do not need to put on the full suit. The mask will be sufficient."

"Aren't you worried about the virus?" Corso asked, brow furrowed.

"The strain she is infected with is close enough to this one that there is no further risk to her," Lomning reassured him as Rian settled the filtration mask over her mouth and nose and flicked it on. The motor hummed quietly to life below her chin. "And since we require a blood sample, we would have to expose her skin in any case."

"I guess," Corso said with a shrug. Rian noticed that Xirra was staying very close to her first mate, though the girl didn't seem to have much to say. Still, she flashed Rian a thumbs-up while Viggota worked the controls on the door to let Rian in.

Rian soon wished she had brought the sabacc deck. After taking her blood sample, the three medics had completely tuned her out. She couldn't make much sense of what they were talking about, something about viral loads. She perched on the edge of one of the long counters that ran the length of the window and leaned back. She caught movement out of the corner of her eye and turned to see her crew all pressed up against the transparisteel beside her. If it hadn't been for their anxious faces, she would have likened them to kids outside of a candy store. She pressed one hand up against the glass, where Corso met it with his own. It was more reassuring than she would have thought.

"I think we are ready," Lomning said finally. He sounded tired, but his eyes were alert. He held out an injector, and she slid off the counter to join him at the other side of the room.

"Is this going to work?" she asked quietly.

"The results on your blood sample were very promising," he said, which wasn't really an answer and she fixed him with a stern look until he continued. "We think so. But it is three hundred years old. It is very well-preserved, thanks to the fuel cells on the stasis chamber, but there is no guarantee."

"Well," Rian said, squaring her shoulders. "It's better than nothing."

Lomning nodded his agreement and took her proffered arm, pressing the injector against the bend of her elbow. The device hissed and Rian imagined she could feel a cool pressure making its way under her skin. "When will we know?"

"We will continue to monitor you," Lomning said. "But we are not sure how long this might take."

"More blood samples?" Rian sighed, and the Jedi nodded. "All right, but I'm starting to run out!"

*****

Three hours and six blood tests later, Lomning gave Rian a smile. "I believe it has worked. Our scans are no longer detecting any trace of the active virus in your system."

Rian just blinked at him, not sure what to think and wondering if she was imagining his words. After what had seemed like a lifetime's worth of stress and uncertainty packed into only a couple of days, was it really over? She was cured? "That's it? Just like that? It's gone?"

"As far as we can tell," Adik, the young Jedi said. He looked delighted, his eyes creased with a smile above his filtration mask. His prior nervousness seemed forgotten in the face of this success, and Rian felt an answering smile slowly spreading over her face as the news sank in.

"So what now?" she asked the three smiling medics.

"Lieutenant Kassynn has already advised Major Torve of what we have discovered, and he is putting together a team to secure the facility," the Republic medic said in her Imperial accent. It jarred Rian every time she heard it, but the woman was incredibly competent, if a little stiff. "We will bring in researchers to examine everything here, and determine what can be safely moved to the base and what must be studied here. This is an amazing discovery," she said, eyes shining. "I'm sorry it took your being infected to steer us here, but I'm glad we found it in time."

"Me too," Rian said, sharing a smile with the three of them. Behind her, she heard a sudden thump against the transparisteel and turned to see Corso practically plastered against the glass.

"Did it work?" he hollered, voice muffled by the glass. The rest of Rian's crew was clustered close around him, faces a mix of hopeful and worried.

Rian glanced over her shoulder at Lomning, and he nodded, shooing her towards the exit. "Disinfect thoroughly on your way out, but we have not detected any airborne contaminants so you should be safe."

Corso caught Lomning's nod and whooped with glee, jumping up and punching the air. He grabbed Xirra and spun her around, laughing. The worried looks on Viggota and Jorgan's faces morphed into huge smiles.

The sonic scrubbers took a long few minutes to run through their disinfect cycle, and Rian shed her filtration mask as she exited the chamber. Corso grabbed her in a hug as soon as she was out in the corridor, laughing and squeezing her tightly. She hugged back hard, ignoring the way the edges of his armour dug into her arms and chest. The others surrounded the two of them, but no one seemed to know what to say. She felt Viggota's broad palm on the back of her neck, squeezing gently, and Xirra slipped in next to Corso to hug her as well. Jorgan stood nearby, a look of relief on his angular face.

"Okay, enough," Rian finally said with a laugh, pushing away from her crew. "I know, everyone's relieved. But that's enough hugging for now."

Corso laughed, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "Sorry, Captain, but you might have to put up with a few more hugs. We're just glad to have you back again."

"He's right," Viggota said. "I know it'll be a hardship for you, but it's going to happen."

Rian rolled her eyes at him, but she couldn't stop smiling. She felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She gave Corso and Viggota half-hearted shoves but didn't protest too hard when they ignored her. She didn't necessarily mind it too much, even though she had complained. She wasn't exactly used to it, but it was still nice.

It was another hour before Lomning and the others were ready to go. Lieutenant Kassynn's medic went reluctantly, carefully packing up a miniature stasis pod with a few samples of the cure. In the meantime, the transport from Olaris Spaceport had arrived and Lieutenant Kassynn and Master Zhin had started to get the women who had been with the pirates up to the surface to be processed. Naturally, none of them had any identification on them, but they were being treated as rescued civilians rather than as prisoners. Olaris Spaceport didn't exactly have a surplus of goods, but they had more than these women had.

Rian and her crew shared a transport back with Lieutenant Kassynn's squad, while Master Zhin and Adik rode with the women. The soldiers were solemn, with the body of one of their own laid out in the back, so Rian and the others muted their good mood as much as possible. Rian kept her eyes on the scenery outside the window, though she smiled every time Corso, who was sitting beside her, patted her leg or shoulder. She knew he had been worried, and it seemed like he needed the reassurance that she was still there.

The trip back to Olaris Spaceport was much faster than the walk out to the hospital had been, though the sun was well up by the time that the transports pulled up outside the medical building. Rian and the others stayed seated while Lieutenant Kassynn's squad unloaded the body of their fallen comrade and let the medics take him. The transport with the women in it had departed earlier than they had, and they were presumably already inside the building being checked over.

"The medics will want to examine you again," Lomning told Rian quietly as they piled out of the transport. She nodded, having expected it even though she was sure that Lomning and the others had already sent all her blood scans ahead. She knew how deadly the rakghoul plague was. It only made sense to be sure.

Master Karu was waiting outside the building and her face split into what looked like a genuinely happy smile when she caught sight of Rian standing with the others. "I am so glad to see you again, and under such circumstances," she said, holding both her hands out to clasp Rian's.

"Me too," Rian replied fervently, squeezing back. She had always thought that Jedi were aloof but Master Karu's good cheer was practically radiating off of her. Of course, the fact that they had brought back a possible cure probably had something to do with that. Rian knew the settlement had lost dozens of people to the rakghouls, and that must have been weighing heavily on the Jedi.

"Come inside. We need to do some tests of our own, as I am sure you know, but I will try to make it as painless as possible." She turned to the rest of Rian's crew. "I must ask you all to wait outside, but I promise to return your captain to you as quickly as I can."

"I'd like to report back to Torve, actually," Jorgan rumbled. "Is he around?"

"The major has sought his bed," Master Karu told him apologetically. "He stayed awake to hear the good news, but he has other meetings today and needed some rest. I am sure he will contact you when he has a free moment."

"Let's go back to the ship," Corso said. "We can get breakfast started."

"It should not take us more than an hour to finish our scans," Master Karu said.

"I'll meet you guys back there," Rian said. The mention of breakfast had made her mouth start to water. She hadn't eaten more than an energy bar since dinner the night before.

True to her word, Master Karu ran Rian through the tests as quickly as possible, smiling every time one came back clear. "We would like to still monitor you over the next day or two," the Jedi told her. "But everything looks good. Congratulations." Rian breathed a sigh of relief. Not that she didn't trust Lomning, but it was still nice that the more powerful scanners here corroborated those results. "Go and be with your friends. Get some rest. We will contact you later."

Rian's step was light as she left the building. Not even the oppressive heat and humidity of the Tarisian swamp was enough to dampen her good mood. The only thing that would make today better would be if the quarantine was lifted and they could get off this planet, but she wouldn't hold her breath.

*****

A good meal and several hours in her own bed left Rian feeling as good as new, apart from the fact that they were still stuck on this mud ball. Taris was definitely a place she would be happy to not have to visit again. The ship was quiet when she woke up, and she didn't see anyone on her way to the kitchen to find lunch.

"Ah, Master, it is good to see you again," Seetoo said. The droid was tidying up the dishes, so it didn't look like she had missed her crew by much.

"Thanks," she said, poking in the cupboards to see what was there. Lomning had pretty much taken over the kitchen, so she didn't even know what they had on board at the moment. "Where is everyone?"

"Master Lomning is resting," the droid replied. "He advised that he would need a day or two to replenish his energies, and has asked not to be disturbed unless there is an emergency. Masters Viggota and Jorgan have gone to meet with Major Torve at his request, and Master Corso is with Miss Xirra in her quarters. Master Jorgan did request that you join them, once you awoke."

"Thanks," Rian said, snagging a container of sliced fruit out of the cooler. She wanted a shower and a change of clothes before she headed out again.

Torve's sergeant, Berix, smiled when Rian walked in to the Republic Command building. "They're expecting you, Captain. Go ahead back." Rian was pleasantly surprised that Berix had called her Captain, but she supposed that after the incident with the lieutenant in the cantina, that story might have made the rounds.

"Thanks," she said, slipping past his desk and down the hall. The door to Torve's office was closed, but it slid open immediately when she thumbed the call button beside it. Berix must have called back to warn them that she was on her way.

"Come on in, Captain," Torve said, standing to greet her. Viggota and Jorgan jumped to their feet as well, and Rian saw that they had already gotten a chair ready for her. "It's good to see you again."

She shook Torve's proffered hand with a smile. "It's good to be back here."

"I'm glad that everything worked out." Torve gestured her towards the third chair. "Can I get you anything?"

"No thanks. I ate before I left the ship." She slipped into the chair and Viggota and Jorgan sat back down on either side of her. "I assume you've gotten the full report?"

"Several of them," he said with a laugh. He tapped at a stack of datapads on his desk. "I even got one from these two, even though technically they're not under my jurisdiction and weren't required to provide one."

Rian laughed at the sheepish looks on Viggota and Jorgan's faces. "Force of habit, guys?"

"Sort of," Viggota said with a shrug. "But in this case, I figured that more information wasn't necessarily a bad thing."

"Good point." Rian said, turning back to Torve. "Everything's in order?"

"As far as the hospital goes?" Torve asked. "I think so. We've got a full salvage team there, working in tandem with the medics and the research teams. If there's anything else there to find, we'll find it. I just wish we had known to look there sooner."

"Don't beat yourself up," Rian said. "You're way undermanned, and you had no reason to focus on it. It made good sense at the time to concentrate your forces closer to home, as it were."

"I agree," Torve said. "But of course there are going to be people who think I should have just known it somehow."

"Desk jockeys," Jorgan rumbled with a scowl.

"Don't forget where I'm sitting now, Ell-Tee," Torve said tapping a finger on his desk with a laugh. "But yes, there will be questions about why the hospital wasn't looked at sooner. Don't worry, though. I'm getting pretty good at handling those sort of questions." He shook his head. "I never thought I'd like this sort of job, but I'm kind of enjoying it."

"From what I can see, you're doing a good job so far," Viggota said.

"Flattery?" Torve laughed. "Fine, I'll take it."

"Good," Rian said with a grin. "We want you on our side." She leaned back, crossing her legs at the ankle. "If I may change the subject? What's going on with the charges against Corso?"

"Of course." Torve shuffled through a few datapads. "We finished interviewing the witnesses in the mess hall. There weren't many people close enough to you three to hear exactly what happened. The only one other than your crew was Jaymizu Poh. She's the sister of the trigger-happy guy," he explained at Rian's confused look. "The one you helped out."

"Oh right. I never caught her name," Rian said. "She's all right? And what happened with her brother?"

"She's fine. Her brother is still in custody, pending charges. He'll probably end up doing some work for the reclamation teams as his sentence." Rian nodded her approval. Hard physical work would probably have more of an effect on the kid than a fine, or even a bit of jail time. "She was able to corroborate your story, though she was a little distracted at the time. But she, and the security footage, still clearly showed that your man assaulted Lieutenant Muro."

Rian sighed and shook her head. She knew this charge would be hard to get rid of. "Okay, where do we stand now?"

"Thanks to the latest string of complaints, Lieutenant Muro is in process of being disciplined and is looking at a demotion," Torve said, sounding satisfied. "He's still not willing to drop the charges, though. But I think we can probably work something out."

"Like what?" she asked suspiciously.

"We don't exactly have a lot of extra hands or space here," Torve explained. "Instead of locking people up for transgressions, we're more inclined to give them extra duties and that sort of thing. Generally, we give them a certain number of hours with one of the reclamation teams. For example, helping to clear out and document the _Endar Spire_ , and Dynamet General Hospital," he added with a wink.

Rian laughed delightedly. "So you're saying you can sentence Corso to work he's already done?"

"We started processing the paperwork for it shortly after we got the first hint from that datapad you found. We didn't get a chance to tell you guys before you left but everything was in order." Torve handed over one of the datapads and Rian flicked through it, skimming the legalese as quickly as she could. Her smile got bigger with every line. Based on this, Corso had completed his sentence and wouldn't face any additional discipline.

"You're the best," she said, handing it back. "I owe you for this."

"I'm pretty sure we owe you," Torve said with a shake of his head. "You're the one who got infected and captured while doing work I asked you to do. And then you even helped us find the cure. We're really in your debt." Jorgan cleared his throat pointedly and Torve rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, fine. And on that note, here's your payment."

"What?" Rian asked, reflexively accepting the datapad that Torve handed over. "What payment?"

"You're being compensated for your role in helping to discover a potential cure for the rakghoul plague," Jorgan said. "The cure is potentially worth a fortune, once it's made widely available."

"But it's not even ready," Rian said, looking down at the datapad. The sum was enough to make her eyes widen.

"True, but you were instrumental in its discovery, and the tests done on you will help in its development. We really couldn't have done it without you," Torve said, leaning forward and lacing his hands together. "Jorgan brought it up, but you would have been entitled to compensation for it anyways."

"What about Lomning, and the others?" she asked, finally looking up from the datapad. She hadn't really done anything, other than get infected and then donate more blood than she ever had to before in her life.

"They're being appropriately compensated for their roles as well," Torve said, and Rian swallowed hard. They were handing out _more_ credits? She just assumed the amount he had shown her was the whole sum. "Trust me," Torve said with a laugh. "This is the least I could get the Republic to do after that. If it's not enough, I can probably get you a commendation or something."

"That won't be necessary!" Rian said quickly, shaking her head and looking down at the datapad again. "Clearly I'm in the wrong line of work," she said with laugh.

"Well, we're not letting you get yourself infected again," Jorgan grumbled. "You get cranky when you think you're going to die, and I thought I was supposed to be the grumpy one."

Rian turned to the Cathar in surprise. "Jorgan, did you just make a _joke_?" she asked with a delighted grin. She was still sometimes hesitant to tease him like she did with the rest of her crew, as she didn't always know how he would respond. He snorted, but she could see a smile curling one side of his lips. She knew she hadn't been at her best for the past few days and neither had her crew, but it was good to see everyone relaxing again.

"Jorgan's cracking jokes?" Viggota asked dryly. "The world must be ending." He stood and offered Rian a hand up. "Come on, we should stop wasting Torve's valuable time."

"Oh no, I'm enjoying this," Torve said, waving at them to continue. He was grinning broadly, clearly enjoying seeing his former commanding officer in a good mood. Rian would have loved to spend some time talking with him about Jorgan, to try to figure out what made the Cathar tick. But Viggota was right. The man was the base commander, not just another soldier. He had other things on his plate.

"We really should go," Rian agreed reluctantly. "We should let the others know, about Corso."

"All right," Torve said with a sigh. "But really, this has been the best part of my day so far."

"You should have turned down the promotion," Jorgan told him with a grin.

"Yeah, yeah," Torve mock-grumbled. "Get out of my office. I have the authority to kick you out now."

"Speaking of," Rian said as she stood up. "What's going on with the quarantine?"

Torve made a face. "Still in place, I'm afraid. I'm scheduled to meet with Governor Saresh later this afternoon to see if she's heard anything more about the outbreaks. If they've been contained, and there aren't any reports of new infections anywhere, I'm hopeful that we can lift it soon. But until then, I'm afraid you're still stuck here."

"I guess we hit our quota of good news for the day," she said with a shrug. "I assume we'll all be notified when there's more news?"

"Absolutely," Torve said, standing to shake their hands. "And by the way, your ban from the cantina has been lifted. Just... try not to start any more fights, all right?"

"We didn't start the last one!" Rian said with a laugh. "But yes, all right. No more bar fights."

Viggota and Jorgan saluted Torve as he let them out of his office, and the two of them stopped to chat with Berix in the main lobby. Rian waved to them and continued out into the hot Tarisian afternoon. It felt like it might rain, which she hoped might pull some of the moisture out of the air, though she doubted she would be that lucky. She was glad Torve had lifted their ban from the cantina. If they were going to be stuck here for at least a few more days it would be good to stay off the ship as much as possible. She loved the _Event Horizon_ , but it wasn't the best place to have the whole crew stuck while they were still trapped planet-side.

Rian turned her steps back towards the spaceport's docking bay. She wasn't about to disturb Lomning, but she would let Corso and Xirra know what was going on with the charges against Corso. They would both be glad to hear that things were resolved.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter! I haven't decided yet if I will immediately start posting the Interludes, or take a short break. I'm working on some costumes for an upcoming convention so I haven't gotten a good start on the sequel yet and don't want to start posting if I'm going to have to take a break right away because I don't have enough written to keep up with a regular posting schedule. So there may be a (hopefully) short break before I post any more!
> 
> I hope people enjoyed this story. Please feel free to leave comments!

The ship's airlock door hissed open when she keyed in her code and she paused almost imperceptibly before stepping fully inside.  Something was wrong.  There was a scuff mark just inside the door that hadn't been there when she had left, a bit of Tarisian mud off of someone's boots.  It was possible that it was from her crew, but there wasn't a lot of mud inside the walls of Olaris Spaceport and Seetoo was obsessive abut keeping his domain clean.  Someone was on her ship, someone who likely wasn't supposed to be there.  But if she was being watched, she didn't want to alert them that she knew something was amiss.

She was still wearing her blasters, as no one went unarmed on Taris, so she was ready for whatever she might find.  She let the door close behind her, all her senses on alert as she moved deeper into the ship.  Lomning's door was still firmly closed as she passed it, and judging by the faint scuffs of mud that she was still occasionally spotting on the floor, she didn't think the intruder had stopped there.  Hopefully they didn't even realize that Lomning was on board.  She briefly debated waking the Jedi, but she didn't know yet if this was an emergency or not.  It was possible that Corso had invited someone on board, though he probably would have asked her first.  But she didn't want to disturb Lomning if it turned out to be something she could deal with herself.  He needed his rest.

She headed for the bridge first.  As much as she was trying to convince herself that nothing was wrong, the prickle at the back of her neck told her that this was likely to be a worst-case scenario and she wanted to make sure her ship was secure.  The bridge was the most defensible part of the ship, thanks to the blast doors, and she could hole up there if she needed to.

When she rounded the ring corridor, she felt a chill go down her spine.  The door to the bridge was open, but all the lights were out.  She knew that she had left them on.  The ship was currently hooked up to ground power at the spaceport, and there was no need to leave the lights off to conserve the ship's power supply, not that she would usually leave the bridge dark anyways.  She always kept the lights on during the day and turned them down slightly at night.  She never turned them all the way off.

She was wearing soft shoes and had been moving carefully, but the airlock door wasn't exactly quiet.  Whoever was here must know she was on board.  She carefully drew her pistols and crept closer.  She hadn't seen or heard any sign of Corso and Xirra, and she just hoped that they were safe.  The converted cargo hold that was Xirra's quarters was further around the ring from her so if the two of them had stayed in there, it was possible the intruder hadn't noticed them.  She didn't know where Seetoo was either.  She would have to talk to Corso and Xirra about him once this was dealt with.  That model of droid was far too easy to disable.  She would have to see if the two of them would have any suggestions that might surprise the next would-be attacker.

Rian pressed her back to the wall beside the bridge door and half-closed her eyes to listen.  With the ship on-planet, the ever-present noise of the engines was silent.  Most of the instrumentation on the bridge was quiet as well, and she didn't hear anything at all at first.  It was possible that the intruder wasn't on the bridge and the fact that the lights were off was a coincidence, but she wasn't going to take that chance.  She tightened her grip on her blasters and was just about ready to duck around the doorframe when she heard a faint scuff as if someone had shifted position.  The sound had definitely come from the bridge.

She led with her blasters as she came around the corner.  The bridge was dark, with only the main console lit, providing dramatic underlighting.  Skavak was standing beside it, a blaster trained on the doorway and a manic grin on his face.  The stark lighting made his face look more angular than usual, and the swirling lines of his tattoo were very dark against his skin.

"Captain,"  he drawled, gun not wavering.  "Fancy meeting you here."

"Skavak,"  she replied icily.  "I'm surprised to see you here.  Was I not clear enough in my message when I said you'd better hope I didn't see you again?  Because what I was insinuating was that I was planning to shoot you in the face."

The man laughed, the sound a little crazed.  As Rian's eyes adjusted she realized that it wasn't just a trick of the light that made Skavak's face look more angular - he had lost weight, and his once well-fitted clothes now sagged on him.  "You might want to hold off on that,"  he told her with a sneer.  "I think you'll find that you won't want to do that at all when I'm done talking."

"I'm more than ready to do it now and you haven't even started,"  she snapped.  "You really like the sound of your own voice, don't you?"  Still, she didn't pull the trigger.  The man had something up his sleeve, or thought he did.  She wanted all the information before she started shooting.  And if she could stall him long enough, Viggota and Jorgan might make an appearance.  She didn't think they would stay talking with Berix long, since the man did have other duties to attend to.

"Oh, Captain,"  Skavak said with a leer.  "So impatient.  It's no wonder you lost your ship.  I'm actually surprised it's only happened the once."  Rian just arched an eyebrow at him, refusing to rise to the bait.  Giving Corso the _Event Horizon_ 's launch codes on Ord Mantell had made sense at the time.  If her ship had been confiscated by the Republic while full of illegal blasters she'd have had to spend months fighting to try to get her back, and that was only if she had managed to avoid jail time and having the _Event Horizon_ sold at auction by the Republic as a confiscated vessel.  Moving the ship had been the right choice, but it had unfortunately backfired when Skavak had double-crossed them.

The man eventually got tired of waiting for a response and drew his free hand out from behind his back.  He held what looked like a remote detonator, and Rian's hands tightened on her guns.  "I told you that you'd want to listen,"  he told her with a sneer.  "The charge won't be enough to bother us too much, not where we're standing, but it'll be more than enough to make this bucket of bolts completely unspaceworthy.  And it'll positively ruin the day of anyone who might be in your cargo hold.  But really, who'd be in a cargo hold, right?  So those hypothetical crew members wouldn't have anything to worry about."

Rian's blood ran cold at the knowing grin that stretched across Skavak's face.  He knew that Corso and Xirra were in the small hold, she was sure of it.  There was no way he could have missed them, if he'd been in there planting explosive charges.  She just hoped that they were all right.  She didn't trust Skavak not to have already shot them.  He was definitely the sort to try to play games with her.  "Well, you've got my attention, which I assume was your goal,"  she said, keeping her voice as calm as she could.   "So what do you want?"

He smiled, the underlighting turning his toothy grin into something sinister.  "I'll start with taking the ship back,"  he said.  "I think that would hurt you more than anything I could do to your body."

"You didn't think your timing through very well,"  she told him.  "You know the planet's under a quarantine, right?  No one's launching until it's lifted.  So even if you manage to take my ship, good luck getting yourself off the planet."

That threw him a little, and Rian wondered just where he had been and how he had gotten here without hearing about the quarantine.  "Nice try,"  he blustered.  "They wouldn't quarantine the whole planet."

"There have been some cases of the rakghoul virus on a couple of colonies,"  she told him, keeping her voice casual.  "So, nobody can leave until they've figured out how that happened.  They're not risking a full-fledged outbreak."

He shook his head in denial but she saw doubt creeping into his eyes.  "I've got friends in high places,"  he replied haughtily.  "I'll manage."

"Skavak, I somehow doubt that you have any friends at all,"  she said pleasantly, shifting her weight slightly.  The detonator he was holding wasn't a dead-man's switch.  If she could get off a kill shot before he could hit the trigger, she wouldn't have to worry about the charges going off.

"You're right,"  he told her.  "Friendship is boring.  You have to put in all that work and hope you're able to get what you want out of it.  I prefer to just take it and move on."

"Wow, you really don't understand friendship at all, do you?"  Rian scoffed, though some part of her pointed out the irony of her being the one to say those words.

The sound of the airlock door opening forced her hand.  She would have preferred to let Skavak rant a little longer and hopefully let his guard down a bit, but the distraction would have to do.  As soon as his head jerked up at the sound, she squeezed both her triggers.  One blaster bolt burned across the side of his face and the other hit him square in the middle of his chest.  His breath hissed out in a sickly gurgle as he fell, and his finger tightened on the trigger of his pistol.  Rian felt the shot punch into her, but she was just glad that his instinct hadn't been to go for the detonator.  She lunged forward to grab it out of his hand, in case he wasn't quite dead, but was surprised when her legs went out from under her.  She landed in a heap next to Skavak as the detonator slipped out of his lifeless hand and rolled across the decking.  She could hear the clatter of running footsteps and Viggota's voice shouting something as blackness dragged her down.

*****

Rian's return to consciousness was accompanied by some steadily beeping piece of machinery and a far-too-bright light overhead.  She opened her eyes and immediately squinted them closed again.  She tried to lift a hand to shield herself from the light but she was tangled up in blankets and tubes.  She made an irritated noise and turned her head to the side to see where she was.

She was unsurprised to find herself in a Republic-standard medbay, presumably still on Taris judging by the fact that the walls looked like pre-fabricated panels that were designed to clip together.  Still, all the bright lights and blinking machinery looked new enough.  She assumed they hadn't had any problems putting her back together.

Her thoughts were slow and fuzzy but she finally managed to untangle one hand and reached up, looking for a call button or something.  She was groping blindly for the wall above her head when someone caught her hand in a gentle grip.  "Sorry,"  rumbled a voice.  "I fell asleep."

She turned her head to the other side to see Jorgan yawning widely, showing a mouth full of sharp teeth.  He was sprawled in a chair beside her bed, dressed more casually than she could ever remember seeing him.  She was so used to seeing him in armour.  He steered her hand back down, careful of the wires and tubes, and patted the back of it before releasing her.  "How long have I been here?"  she asked.

"Most of a week,"  he said.  "You spent the first three days in a kolto tank."

She blinked up at him in confusion.  "What?"

"Skavak's shot took out most of your lower abdomen,"  he told her as he played with the controls of her bed until she was sitting more upright.  "You're lucky Viggota and I showed up when we did, and that we were able to wake Lomning up.  You just about didn't make it."

That took a moment to sink in through the haze of meds that Rian assumed were keeping her calm.  "I didn't know it was that bad,"  she said, though she should have realized it.  She hadn't been wearing her armour, after all, and she knew what a blaster bolt could do to an unprotected body.  "Is everyone else all right?"

The Cathar nodded, tapping the controls on his wrist computer.  "Yeah.  You saved the day again,"  he said with a chuckle.  "That sand rat had pumped some sort of gas into Xirra's quarters to knock her and Corso out.  He didn't even have the guts to face them himself.  And he shut down your droid again, but he didn't take any damage."

"What about the explosives?"  Rian asked.  She wondered at how calm Jorgan was being but then again, it _had_ been a few days for him.  Everything still felt very immediate to her.

"Xirra dealt with that as soon as she regained consciousness,"  Jorgan said with a satisfied nod.  "She wasn't able to get the doors unlocked, but Skavak was dumb enough to put the bomb where she could get to it.  So even if he'd hit that button, nothing was going to happen."

Rian felt a rush of relief and closed her eyes.  She had been so worried about Corso and Xirra.  She had been pretty sure she remembered Skavak dropping the detonator, but the drugs were making her memories fuzzy.

She opened her eyes again when the door to her room hissed open.  Corso barrelled in, relief written plain on his face and Xirra only a step behind him.  "Captain!"  he said, reaching for her hand and gripping it tightly.  She squeezed back hard and had to close her eyes against the tears that threatened.  She blamed the meds for that.  She didn't usually cry.

Viggota and Lomning showed up a few minutes later, looking like they had dressed hastily.  "We were sleeping,"  the big soldier explained.  "We've been staying with you in shifts."

"We were at the mess hall,"  Corso said, looking around surreptitiously before he pulled a pair of crusty rolls out of his pockets.  He broke them apart and handed pieces around to everyone.  Rian's mouth watered at the smell of the still-warm bread, but Lomning plucked it from her hand.

"You have just regenerated most of your digestive tract,"  he told her firmly.  "No solid foods until you see the doctors."  Corso looked apologetic, but Rian noticed that it didn't stop him from eating her share.

"What happened?"  she asked, looking up at her crew.  "Fill me in."

"Well, I think we managed to piece together most of it,"  Viggota said, rubbing a hand over his head.  He needed a shave again, and his palm rasped over the stubble.  "It looks like Rogun's bounty hunters had been closing in on your friend Skavak, and he was running out of options."

"We think that he was cut off from all his caches and his contacts,"  Corso interjected, brushing crumbs off the front of his shirt.  "He musta been getting desperate."

"From what we have been able to determine, he appears to have had some contacts among the pirates that have been scavenging on Taris,"  Lomning added.  "And likely at the spaceport as well.  We believe that is how he found out that you had landed here."

"Torve's been cleaning house,"  Jorgan said with a vicious grin.  "There have been a few people rotated out from their cushy jobs here onto the recovery teams.  They aren't very happy, but haven't dared to complain."

"We've had the body taken off the ship, and dealt with all the paperwork,"  Viggota told her.  "You won't have to worry about that, though you'll need to read through and sign the incident report."

"I've also contacted Rogun,"  Corso said, and Rian jerked her head around quickly.

"What?"  she said.  "You shouldn't have done that."  She hated the idea of Corso getting involved with someone like Rogun.  She was thankful she had managed to clear up her debt to the gangster, but she still wanted to keep her crew out of that business.

"Well..."  her first mate drawled, ignoring her angry glare.  "Someone had to tell him that the bounty on Skavak had been collected."

She blinked up at him and then started to laugh.  "Okay, even I can see the humour in that."

"We're pretty set, between the bounty and the credits we got from the Republic for helping to find the rakghoul cure,"  Corso told her, reaching out and squeezing her hand again.  "We can probably take some time off."

"A vacation?"  Xirra asked, sounding hopeful.  Rian felt for the poor girl.  She'd joined the crew at a bad time, given everything that had happened since.

"Maybe,"  Rian said, though she wasn't exactly the type for vacations.  She preferred to be busy.  But her crew had definitely earned some downtime after this.  "Anything else?"

"Well..."  Viggota was trying unsuccessfully to hide his grin.  "The quarantine's been lifted.  So we're free to go, as soon as you get the okay from the medics."

"What are we waiting for, then?"  Rian asked, making shooing motions at them.  "Get me out of here!"

Her crew laughed but obligingly scattered to find the doctors.  In short order, Rian was unhooked from all the machines and run through a battery of tests by the medical team.  The treatments had gone well, and she was pronounced fit to be discharged.

The others were waiting for her right outside, and Rian smiled at them as she approached.  She'd been thinking about what she had said to Skavak, about friendship.  She wasn't usually the introspective type, but nearly dying three times in the course of a week had left her with a lot to think about.  She reluctantly admitted to herself that she might be growing attached to this strange crew she had picked up, and was really hoping they might stick around.  She slipped into the middle of the group and let Corso drape an arm over her shoulders.  She wrapped hers around his waist and gave him a squeeze, and clapped Viggota on the shoulder.  "Are we ready to leave, then?"

"I'm more than ready,"  Corso said fervently.

"Torve did ask if we'd stay for dinner,"  Jorgan said from the other side of Viggota.

Rian glanced at her crew and shrugged.  "I guess we can stay a bit longer,"  she said.  She could tell by the angle of the sun that it was nearing nightfall anyways.  She didn't want to leave without thanking the base commander for his help - and possibly trying to pump him for a few stories about Jorgan.

She let herself be carried along with her crew as they headed for the Republic Command building.  Corso and Xirra were talking quietly as they walked along with her, Corso a warm, solid presence at her side.  Viggota gave her a smile, bumping his shoulder against hers.  Jorgan actually looked content, the harsh angles of his face softened somewhat.  Lomning was as serene as ever, and Rian followed his gaze upwards to where a flock of birds was soaring up into the darkening sky.  The first few stars would be coming out shortly.  Rian knew that she'd be back up there soon, out of the atmosphere and into the black, back on the ship that she called home with this strange new family she had made for herself.


End file.
